Representatives of the main political groups in the European Parliament, supported by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, called in a plenary debate on Tuesday 4 October for sanctions to be imposed on those responsible for the death of the young Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, killed by the morality police, and for the repression of peaceful demonstrations, which have left dozens dead.
“The EU Council should impose firm sanctions against human rights violations and do so quickly”, said European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs chair David McAllister (EPP, German). For María Soraya Rodríguez Ramos (Renew Europe, Spanish), “we need to update and broaden the sanctions, help the Iranian people and pay tribute to these women”. The EU already has sanctions against Iran in relation to human rights violations.
The High Representative announced that he would, together with the Member States, consider sanctions, believing that the EU should have a unified response. “Together with the Member States, we will examine all the measures at our disposal, including restrictive measures, to respond to the death of Mahsa Amini and the reaction of the police to the demonstrations”, Borrell warned, calling the disproportionate use of force “unacceptable”.
MEPs supported the demonstrators. Stressing that they were united “against corruption, dictatorship and injustice”, Manon Aubry (The Left, French) explained that the solidarity of Europeans should “never waver”.
More broadly, the situation of women in the country was criticised. “In the 21st century, in Iran, there is a police force that has to check women’s clothing and this morality police has the right to arrest women who have a few hairs sticking out of their veil”, criticised Iratxe García Pérez (S&D, Spanish). According to the chairwoman of the S&D group in the European Parliament, “Europe must react and stand by these women”. “Our Iranian sisters, we stand with you”, she said.
Ernest Urtasun (Greens/EFA, Spanish) said that there should be a reaction to all laws that are passed that are against women’s freedom. “This must be a fundamental development in the relationship with this country, the rights of women must be respected, we will not let Iranian women down”, he added.
The European Parliament will vote on a resolution on the death of Mahsa Amini and the repression of women’s rights protesters in Iran on Thursday 6 October. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)