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The European Parliament building in Strasbourg. (Attribution: © Cayambe, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
On April 3, 2025, the European Parliament overwhelmingly passed a resolution condemning the Iranian regime’s execution spree and the confirmation of death sentences against two political activists, Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hasani. The resolution, approved by a large majority through a show of hands, reflects mounting frustration among European lawmakers over Tehran’s increasing use of capital punishment to silence dissent.
The resolution follows a heated debate in the European Parliament, where multiple Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) delivered impassioned speeches condemning the Iranian regime’s systematic abuse of human rights. In their speeches, they particularly highlighted the cases of Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hasani, both of whom were subjected to torture, denied fair trials, and sentenced to death in sham proceedings that lasted no more than five minutes.
Petras Auštrevičius emphasized that the Iranian regime continues to rely on mass executions and hostage diplomacy as tools of oppression. He described the cases of Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hasani as particularly alarming examples of the regime’s willingness to target activists on fabricated charges.
🚨 🇪🇺 📄 Text of today's European Parliament resolution condemning Iran’s death sentences for political prisoners Behrouz Ehsani & Mehdi Hassani
The resolution also points to Iran's attempt to murder former EP Vice-President @VidalQuadras & urges the @EUCouncil to #BlacklistIRGC… https://t.co/UuExOMxFOs pic.twitter.com/gz8FCwbix9
— M. Hanif Jazayeri (@HanifJazayeri) April 3, 2025
Milan Zver described Iran as one of the world’s most oppressive regimes, condemning Ali Khamenei’s rule as a reign of terror sustained by systematic executions and brutal repression of minorities. He called for an international effort to end the regime’s impunity and ensure justice for the victims.
Daniel Attard described the clerical regime’s execution spree as nothing short of state murder, emphasizing that nearly a thousand executions were carried out over the past year alone. Attard condemned the Iranian regime’s reliance on torture and fabricated trials to suppress opposition, asserting that such a campaign of terror reveals the regime’s profound fear of its own people.
Veronika Vrecionová underscored the egregious nature of Ehsani and Hasani’s trials, labeling them as textbook examples of politically motivated sham trials conducted under a regime that fears its opponents. She emphasized that the death sentences against the two activists exemplify the broader pattern of persecution against dissidents, with dozens more political prisoners currently awaiting execution in Iranian prisons.
⚠️ Iranski režim je nedavno obsodil na smrt politična zapornika Behrouza Ehsanija in Mehdija Hasanija. To je le del širše, grozljive prakse množičnih usmrtitev in sistematične represije.
🕊️ V @Europarl_EN smo izrazili solidarnost z žrtvami in pozvali mednarodno skupnost k… pic.twitter.com/IciS2qcDlF
— Milan Zver (@MilanZver) April 3, 2025
Danuše Nerudová warned of the Iranian regime’s broader efforts to stifle opposition through mass executions and suppression of independent journalism. The MEP also expressed concern about the freedom of speech, urging Europe to take responsibility in supporting independent media fighting against the regime’s propaganda.
Davor Ivo Stier denounced the Iranian regime’s use of executions as a tool of state terrorism, emphasizing that the international community has a moral duty to respond decisively. He called on the European Union to label the Iranian regime as a terrorist state and ensure the protection of dissidents within and outside of Iran.
Francisco Assis spoke of the urgent need to condemn Tehran’s systematic use of capital punishment against political dissidents. He noted that hundreds of prisoners in Iran’s jails are awaiting execution, victims of a judicial system designed to crush opposition through terror and brutality.
Let’s focus on appropriate actions against #Teheran regime, assigning #IRGC as a terrorist organisation, asking U.N. HRC to carry out the necessary investigations in human rights abuses. Iranian mullahs regime must pay a high price for opposition executions pic.twitter.com/qc2v2SNLEA
— Petras Austrevicius (@petras_petras) April 3, 2025
Additionally, the resolution expressed grave concern over the regime’s orchestrated assassination attempts abroad, specifically referencing the attempted killing of former Vice-President of the European Parliament Alejo Vidal-Quadras. This incident was cited as part of a broader pattern of targeting political dissidents and critics of the clerical regime, even on European soil.
The resolution passed by the European Parliament includes a call for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Iran and the abolition of the death penalty. Additionally, the European Parliament urged the Council and Member States to recognize the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization and to continue imposing targeted sanctions on Iranian officials responsible for human rights abuses.
Although many MEPs expressed frustration over the lack of concrete action by European governments, they agreed that a unified response is necessary to confront the clerical regime’s campaign of repression. The resolution’s adoption marks a significant step in the European Union’s efforts to hold the Iranian regime accountable for its human rights violations.