HANA is concerned by the escalation of violence and repression in Iran in the context of nationwide protests and strikes. Reporting indicates the use of lethal force, mass arrests, and restrictions on communications, with heightened risks of torture, enforced disappearance, and arbitrary detention, including of minors.
This concern is not confined to recent events. Iranian state authorities and affiliated actors have, for years, been credibly linked to serious and systematic human rights violations. Against that background, any credible indication that persons connected to such abuses are seeking visa access or safe haven in Europe, including through family-based travel arrangements, warrants careful scrutiny. Where such allegations appear in public reporting, they should be treated as risk indicators to be assessed and verified, not as established fact.
HANA recalls that the grant or refusal of a visa is an exercise of state sovereignty. This discretion must be exercised in accordance with applicable law and with respect for fundamental rights and due process. Sovereignty, however, does not require states to facilitate impunity. Where reliable information supports a reasonable suspicion of involvement in unlawful killings, torture, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention, or related serious abuses, states should apply enhanced screening and refuse entry where lawful grounds exist.
HANA calls on European states and EU institutions to apply a coordinated “no safe haven” approach through lawful, individualized measures, including:
Enhanced screening for high-risk applicants, including cross-checks against sanctions lists and credible human rights documentation, and refusal of entry where public policy or security grounds are met.
Targeted restrictive measures, including travel bans and asset freezes, against individuals credibly implicated in serious violations, adopted on an evidence-based and reviewable basis.
Cooperation on evidence preservation and financial integrity measures to prevent abuse-linked funds from being sheltered in Europe and to support future accountability efforts.
Protection-oriented pathways for victims, minors, journalists, and human rights defenders at risk, with priority for those fleeing persecution, not those connected to it.
HANA supports decisions that are evidence-based, proportionate, and open to review. Rigorous visa due diligence, applied case by case, strengthens human rights protection by denying safe passage to perpetrators while safeguarding access to protection for those at risk.
Geneva, Switzerland
January, 9, 2026