European Parliament: Islamic Republic Must End 'Discrimination Against Women and Girls' and 'Hostage Diplomacy'

The European Parliament, in a resolution published on Thursday, December 2, referred to the worsening human rights situation in Iran and the brutal killings of women by Iranian officials, including the murder of Mahsa Amini, a Sakharov Prize laureate. It called on the Islamic Republic officials to 'immediately end any form of discrimination against women and girls, including mandatory hijab, and repeal all discriminatory gender laws.' The resolution also condemned arbitrary detentions, denial of medical services to detainees, police violence, torture, capital punishment, and the alarming increase in the number of executions. Members of the European Parliament demanded the immediate release of all victims of arbitrary detentions and human rights defenders, including Narges Mohammadi, Sepideh Qolian, Golrokh Iraee, Nasrin Javadi, and Bahareh Hedayat. Regarding the policy of hostage-taking of foreign and dual citizens by the Islamic Republic, the European Parliament condemned Iran's 'hostage diplomacy' and called on the European Union to initiate a strategy to counter it. They also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of dual and non-Iranian citizens imprisoned in Iran, including Johan Floudros, Ahmadreza Jalali, Nahid Taghavi, Kamran Ghaderi, and Jamshid Sharmeh. The resolution emphasized the importance of initiating 'criminal investigations by competent global judicial bodies regarding crimes committed by Islamic Republic officials and recognizing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization and sanctioning officials responsible for human rights violations in Iran, including the Supreme Leader and the President.' The European Parliament called on the 'European External Action Service' and member states to support 'Nobel Peace Prize and Sakharov Prize winners in Iran' by facilitating the visa issuance and providing emergency asylum assistance to those in need. The Sakharov Prize is awarded annually to individuals or groups who have made significant contributions to the struggle against oppression and the defense of freedom of expression. This resolution was adopted with 516 votes in favor, 4 against, and 27 abstentions. The European Parliament also condemned human rights violations in Niger and Georgia in two separate resolutions. The UN's renewed criticism of widespread human rights violations in Iran came during a conversation with Shiva Mohabbin. Concerns from 200 activists regarding the continued detention of several national, civil, and political activists were raised. The U.S. reaction to reports of torture and the fabricated execution of Saman Yasin was labeled as a human rights violation. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom stated that mandatory hijab in Iran is a human rights violation. Khaled Pirzadeh was transferred from Evin Prison to the hospital following 'tension and heart blockage.' Three political activists were sentenced to a total of over 61 years in prison. The Third Committee of the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution condemning widespread human rights violations by the Islamic Republic.