The European Parliament has adopted three resolutions calling for action over alleged human rights violations in Iran, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
MEPs said Iran has the highest death penalty rate per person in the world and condemned what they described as an “unprecedented scale of violence” by the authorities against civilians since January 2026, the Parliament announced on Thursday.
They cited intensified attacks on human rights activists and journalists, and the prosecution of protesters based on confessions obtained through torture.
MEPs called for politically motivated verdicts to be annulled against Taraneh Rahimi, 20, and Leila Abolhasani, 43, who were sentenced to death after protests, and also referred to the case of Rahimi’s sister Romina, who was sentenced to a long prison term.
The Parliament said MEPs called for Iran to abolish the death penalty and raised concerns about an increase in the number of women convicted, the persecution of religious and ethnic minorities, and what they described as transnational repression beyond Iran’s borders.
MEPs also called for broader sanctions, for the UN’s independent international fact-finding mission on Iran to be stepped up, and for Iran to be referred to the International Criminal Court.
The Iran resolution was adopted by 541 votes in favour, 11 against and 25 abstentions.
Georgia and Azerbaijan resolutions
In a separate resolution on Georgia, MEPs condemned what they described as the misuse of legislation and institutions to silence political opponents, including attempts by the ruling Georgian Dream party to ban opposition parties, the Parliament said.
They called for the immediate and unconditional release of political prisoners and peaceful protesters, naming Elene Khoshtaria, 2025 Sakharov Prize laureate Mzia Amaglobeli, Mikheil Saakashvili, Giorgi Baramidze and Nika Melia.
MEPs reiterated calls for targeted sanctions against individuals they said were responsible for “democratic backsliding, violent repression and political persecution”, listing Bidzina Ivanishvili, Irakli Kobakhidze, Shalva Papuashvili and Kakha Kaladze.
The Georgia resolution was adopted by 445 votes in favour, 37 against and 97 abstentions.
On Azerbaijan, MEPs said any future EU partnership agreement with the country must be conditional on “tangible improvements” in human rights, including the release of political prisoners.
They welcomed Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu’s arrival in Europe for urgent medical treatment and called for all prosecutions against him to be dropped.
MEPs also condemned the detention of Ali Karimli, leader of the Azerbaijani People’s Front, Anar Mammadli, and journalist Anar Abdullayev, calling for their immediate and unconditional release and citing serious allegations of ill-treatment.
They called for targeted measures under the EU Global Sanctions Regime — an EU framework for sanctioning individuals and entities over serious human rights violations worldwide.
The Azerbaijan resolution was adopted by 492 votes in favour, 23 against and 60 abstentions.
