The European Parliament has strongly condemned systematic human rights violations and widespread repression in Iran, calling for an immediate end to violence against peaceful protesters, arbitrary detention, torture, executions and other abuses.
In the resolution adopted by an overwhelming majority, MEPs documented a pattern of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, torture, sexual violence, extrajudicial killings, collective punishment and abusive detention conditions. The resolution states that documented acts meet the threshold for crimes against humanity and calls for the independent documentation and preservation of evidence for future accountability.
The European Parliament expressed solidarity with the Iranian people and called for the unconditional release of protesters, political prisoners, human rights defenders and journalists, as well as foreign and dual nationals held arbitrarily. It also called for the immediate abolition of the death penalty and an end to the persecution of doctors and healthcare workers for treating injured protesters.
MEPs further urged the European Union and UN bodies to strengthen mechanisms for documenting violations and ensuring accountability, including through international judicial mechanisms.
Some key points in resolution emphasised:
– whereas the documented acts meet the threshold for crimes against humanity;
– Expresses solidarity with the Iranian people and reaffirms that they are the sole legitimate source of sovereignty in Iran;
– Calls for atrocities to be independently documented by UN bodies and for evidence to be preserved for future prosecutions; stresses the need for accountability through international judicial mechanisms, including for the UN Security Council to refer Iran to the ICC;
European Parliament Press Release (12 February 2026) – In a resolution adopted on Thursday, MEPs express their outrage at the repression and mass murders being perpetrated by the Iranian regime against protesters in Iran.
Parliament unconditionally demands that the Iranian authorities, under the rule of Ali Khamenei, immediately end violence against peaceful protesters, halt all executions, and cease the murder and repression of civilians. Standing in full solidarity with the people of Iran and their brave and legitimate protest movement, it strongly condemns the widespread, intentional and disproportionate use of force by security forces.
Chilling shift of regime’s suppression of dissent from deterrence to strategic elimination
In the resolution adopted by 562 votes in favour, 9 against and 57 abstentions, MEPs express alarm that the murder of thousands of protesters signals a chilling shift in the Iranian regime’s suppression of dissent from deterrence to strategic elimination. MEPs demand the immediate and unconditional release of all protesters, human rights defenders and journalists currently held under arrest.
Parliament calls on the Council to proceed without delay with the full designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including the Basij militia and the Quds Force, as terrorist organisations. It demands the expansion and strict enforcement of EU restrictive measures, including asset freezes and visa bans, welcomes the recent US sanctions, and calls for swift EU action against all officials and entities responsible for repression.
The resolution condemns the regime’s efforts to censor protests through internet shutdowns and calls on the EU and its Member States to scale up technical and financial support for censorship circumvention tools and protection against cyber and information manipulation.
UN-mandated fact-finding mission must be given unhindered access
Parliament highlights the Iranian regime’s decades-long pattern of systematic repression, in particular targeting women, human rights activists and political dissidents, and reiterates its call for Iran to grant immediate and unhindered access to the UN-mandated fact-finding mission to address grave crimes under international law, including murder, torture, rape, and enforced disappearances, which are being used to silence dissent.
MEPs call for intensified diplomatic engagement, including an enhanced EU presence, to provide individuals at risk with protection, humanitarian assistance and support. They firmly condemn Iran’s malign activities and interference across the region, stressing that Iran continues to constitute the largest and most substantial threat to the broader region’s security and stability and the most significant obstacle to peace.
Finally, Parliament stresses that any normalisation of relations with Iran can only follow the unconditional release of political prisoners and genuine progress toward democracy and the rule of law, whilst welcoming the decision by its President Roberta Metsola to bar representatives of the Iranian regime from European Parliament premises and urging Member States to follow suit.
