- Iran must free 2012 Sakharov laureate Nasrin Sotoudeh and halt imminent execution of Ahmadreza Djalali
On Thursday and Friday, the European Parliament adopted two resolutions taking stock of the human rights situation in China, Iran and Egypt.
The European Union strongly condemns the arbitrary detention, sentencing and, recently, return to prison of woman human rights defender, lawyer and 2012 Sakharov Prize laureate Nasrin Sotoudeh in Iran.
They urge Iranian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release her and allow her to receive the healthcare she requires.
In addition, the resolution condemns the recent executions in Iran of France-based journalist Ruhollah Zam, editor of the Amad News Telegram channel, and wrestler Navid Afkari, while urging Iran to immediately halt the imminent execution of Swedish-Iranian academic Ahmadreza Djalali.
It calls on EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell and all EU countries to urgently intervene to try to halt plans to execute Mr Djalali, quash his death sentence and secure his immediate release.
The text asks all EU member states to jointly issue public statements and undertake diplomatic initiatives to monitor unfair trials and visit prisons where human rights defenders and other prisoners of conscience, including EU nationals, are being detained in Iran.
It also demands targeted EU measures against Iranian officials who have committed serious human rights violations, including the recent executions of Ruhollah Zam and Navid Afkari, as well as against those involved in gross human rights abuses, such as judges who have handed the death sentence to journalists, human rights defenders, political dissidents and activists.
The text was approved by 614 votes in favour, 12 against and 63 abstentions.
