BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / EuroWire / — The European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the deterioration of human rights conditions in Iran, focusing on repression, executions, political imprisonment and the treatment of religious minorities. The measure, approved on May 21 by 516 votes in favour, 14 against and 39 abstentions, called for stronger European action against Iranian officials and entities linked to abuses. The resolution followed a plenary debate a day earlier and was adopted under Parliament’s procedure for urgent topical resolutions.
The text condemned the use of the death penalty as a tool against political mobilisation and called for its abolition. Members of the European Parliament deplored secret executions of dissidents in March and April, including cases involving minors, and demanded the immediate release of all political prisoners. The resolution framed the human rights situation in Iran around executions, arbitrary detention, pressure on dissidents and restrictions affecting minority communities, while urging authorities to respect basic rights and legal protections.
Parliament also said Iranian citizens faced severe restrictions on information access during an imposed internet blackout. It urged the European Union and partner countries to support safe and secure internet access for people in Iran, linking access to communications with the ability to document violations and obtain information. The resolution placed digital restrictions alongside executions, detentions and repression as central elements of the human rights concerns raised in the parliamentary vote.
Sanctions and accountability
The resolution called on the European Union to expand sanctions on Iranian officials responsible for repression, including members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and entities associated with the Supreme Leader. It said IRGC members and loyal family members should be banned from entering the EU. The measure also urged member states to close Iranian diplomatic missions associated with transnational repression and to ensure sanctions already adopted are enforced across the bloc.
The vote came after the Council of the EU imposed new Iran human rights sanctions on March 16, listing 16 individuals and three entities over serious violations. Those listings targeted officials and organisations linked to the suppression of January 2026 street protests, including commanders, judiciary figures, prison authorities and entities tied to surveillance or censorship. The Council said restrictive measures then applied to 263 individuals and 53 entities under the EU framework for serious human rights abuses in Iran.
UN mission funding
The European Parliament also called for sufficient funding for the United Nations independent fact finding mission on Iran. The resolution cited the mission’s warnings that government oppression in Iran may amount to crimes against humanity and said the body should have the resources needed to continue its work. The UN mechanism has examined alleged violations connected to protests, repression and the treatment of detainees, including issues involving accountability for abuses and the preservation of evidence.
The resolution added to a series of European and international actions focused on Iran’s human rights record in 2026. UN human rights officials have called for an end to executions, respect for fair trial standards and the release of people arbitrarily detained. The European Parliament’s vote did not impose sanctions directly, but it increased political pressure within the EU system for wider listings, tighter enforcement and continued international scrutiny of executions, political imprisonment and repression in Iran.