In a resolution adopted on Thursday, 16 January 2026, the European Parliament strongly condemned the violent crackdown and killing of protesters in Iran and declared its full solidarity with the Iranian people and their legitimate protest movement. The resolution was adopted with 562 votes in favor, 9 against, and 57 abstentions.
In the resolution, Members of the European Parliament called for an immediate end to violence against peaceful protesters, a halt to executions, the unconditional release of detainees, and accountability for those responsible for repression. The European Parliament also warned that the Iranian government’s repression has moved beyond deterrence and is now heading toward targeted and systematic elimination.
The European Parliament further urged the Council of the European Union to, without delay, fully designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), along with all its affiliated entities—including the Basij and the Quds Force—as a terrorist organization under the EU’s terrorist list. It also called for the expansion and strict enforcement of targeted sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans, against individuals and entities responsible for repression.
While welcoming this clear position, the Hana Human Rights Organization recalls that it has previously submitted a formal and legal request to the Council of the European Union to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization in accordance with the EU’s counterterrorism framework, including Council Common Position 2001/931/CFSP and Council Regulation (EC) No. 2580/2001. In its legal submission, Hana emphasized that the IRGC is not an ordinary security institution, but a structured entity with legal, institutional, and economic backing that plays a central role in both internal repression and extraterritorial operations.
Hana further stresses that at a time when escalating violence is accompanied by nationwide internet shutdowns—used as a tool to conceal killings and prevent documentation—the European Union must translate its extraterritorial human rights obligations into concrete action to prevent the continued mass killing of the people of Iran.