The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) held a session on Tuesday, March 18, addressing the persistent and systemic human rights violations in Iran. During the meeting in Geneva, representatives from the European Union and several countries strongly condemned the Iranian regime’s increasing repression, mass executions, and systematic discrimination against women and minorities.
In its official statement, the European Union (EU) emphasized the severity of the situation, stating that reports presented to the UNHRC demonstrate “widespread and structural human rights violations” in Iran. The EU highlighted ongoing repression against women and girls, arbitrary arrests, and the use of torture and inhumane treatment in detention centers. “The use of capital punishment as a response to domestic dissent, including against persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, is unacceptable,” the statement read. The EU also urged the clerical regime in Iran to impose an immediate moratorium on executions and ultimately abolish the death penalty.
The United Kingdom echoed these concerns, calling the human rights situation in Iran “appalling,” with executions reaching a crisis level. British representatives pointed out the alarming rise in executions of women, many of whom were sentenced to death following unfair trials. They further criticized the Iranian regime’s continued enforcement of mandatory hijab laws, calling for their repeal.