MEPs denounced Iran’s “widespread and disproportionate” use of force against non-violent demonstrators “who are simply exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly” on Thursday 19 December.
“Such actions are unacceptable”, they say in a joint resolution from the Greens/EFA, S&D, ECR, Renew Europe and EPP groups, adopted in plenary.
Since 15 November, at least 304 people have lost their lives in the country’s biggest demonstrations in 40 years, according to Amnesty International.
MEPs call for prompt, impartial, independent and transparent investigations into allegations of excessive use of force and for all perpetrators to be held accountable.
All demonstrators, human rights defenders and journalists currently detained in Iran for exercising their legitimate rights to freedom of expression and assembly should be unconditionally released, they added. At least 7,000 people are reported to have been arrested.
Parliament also strongly condemned the Iranian decision to cut off access to global networks on the Internet, considering it to be “a clear violation of freedom of expression”. It therefore calls on the authorities to put an end to all blockages affecting online communications and services.
On Wednesday 18 December, during the plenary debate, when asked about possible sanctions in retaliation for the crackdown on demonstrations, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that while the EU had sanctioned 83 individuals and entities for human rights violations, no proposals to add names were currently on the table.
See the resolution: http://bit.ly/2SaVnWr (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)