EU Statement – UN General Assembly 3rd Committee: Interactive Dialogues on Iran

Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. We thank the Special Rapporteur and the Fact-Finding Mission for their work and reports prepared under difficult circumstances and fully support their mandates.

Last January, Iranian security forces answered the call of peaceful protesters for dignity, freedom, and a better life with lethal force and excessive violence, leading to tens of thousands of arrests and deaths, as well as forced confessions and persecutions under the cover of a nationwide internet shutdown. Since then, internal repression has only increased and the human rights situation remains dire. Accountability for these grave human rights violations is essential. 

The continuous and dramatic increase of the number of executions is unacceptable. The EU strongly condemns any use of the death penalty, torture and other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment or punishment, including as a means to suppress internal dissent. We urge the Iranian authorities to immediately stop all executions and pursue a consistent policy towards the abolition of capital punishment.

The EU is also gravely concerned about the restrictions on freedom of opinion, expression and peaceful assembly, offline and online, as well as the harassment and reprisals against all dissenting voices, including transnational repression. We call on the Iranian authorities to cease the violence and brutal repression against their own people, to provide due process and fair trial guarantees for all detainees, and to immediately and unconditionally release all arbitrarily detained citizens and individuals arrested for peacefully exercising their rights.  The EU calls again for the respect of the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Iranian people, including the right to choose their own future. 

We remain particularly concerned about the systematic discrimination against women and girls, and against persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, and call on Iran to end all forms of discrimination, in law and in practice against them. 

In light of the gravity of the repression, since the beginning of the year, the EU imposed additional sanctions on thirty-seven individuals and nine entities responsible for human rights violations in Iran. We stand ready to take further measures as necessary.

The war has added another layer of suffering. We express deep concern over the loss of civilian life during the conflict, including those killed in the strike against a school in Minab on 28 February. We urge de-escalation and maximum restraint, the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure in all circumstances, and full respect of international law and international humanitarian law, by all parties. 

In light of the scale of the crackdown against protesters, including widespread arrests, incommunicado detention, coerced confessions, and death penalty cases related to the protests, including public executions, I have two questions. 

Madam Special Rapporteur, what immediate actions should the international community take to prevent further violations, ensure access to legal representation and independent monitoring of detention facilities, and stop executions after unfair trials?

Madam Member of the Commission, what concrete steps should the international community prioritise to ensure the preservation of evidence and strengthen accountability for serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law?

Thank you.