The EU has accused Iran’s security forces of using lethal violence against peaceful protesters and said it is considering further measures in response to what it described as a worsening human rights situation.
The EU said the situation in Iran comes amid “ongoing hostilities” in the Middle East that it said threaten regional and global security, with wider effects including on economic stability and humanitarian conditions in the region, according to a statement delivered at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva by the European External Action Service (EEAS).
It called on “all parties” to protect civilians and to respect international law, including international humanitarian law and the UN Charter.
The EEAS said peaceful protests in January included demands for “dignity, freedom, and a better life”, and that security forces responded with “brutal repression”, “excessive force” and “lethal violence”. Thousands of people died or were injured and many were arrested as a result, it added.
The EU called on Iran to release people it said were “arbitrarily detained” for exercising rights such as freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
The statement also raised concern about reports of expedited trials for peaceful protesters who “may face severe penalties including the death penalty”, saying such proceedings “must be halted.”
Death penalty, detentions and internet access
The EU condemned use of the death penalty and other harsh punishments “as a means to supress internal dissent”, and urged Iranian authorities to stop executions and move towards abolishing capital punishment, the EEAS said.
It also declared it was concerned about harassment and reprisals targeting dissidents, lawyers, media workers, religious and ethnic minorities and human rights defenders, including through “transnational repression” that it said has taken place on EU soil.
The EU urged the “full and permanent restoration of unrestricted internet access”, saying large-scale internet disruptions are incompatible with human rights obligations.
The statement rejected what it called Iran’s “practice of arbitrary detention of EU nationals for political gains”, urging Iran to end it and release all detained EU nationals.
The EU has had targeted restrictive measures in place since 2011 against individuals and entities it says are responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran.
The EEAS stated the EU had “recently included” Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on the EU terrorist list, and that further measures are being considered to target those responsible for ongoing violations and repression.
The EU said it would intensify support for civil society and human rights defenders.
