MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION Case of Ahmadreza Jalali in Iran – B10-0280/2025

B10‑0280/2025

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on  Case of Ahmadreza Jalali in Iran

(2025/2753(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to Rule 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

 

 

1. whereas Ahmadreza Jalali a Swedish-Iranian academic and professor at the VUB University in Belgium, was arrested in April 2016 while visiting Iran to attend academic workshops; whereas he was charged with espionage, convicted and sentenced to death; whereas according to UN independent experts the sentence was based on a confession that was extracted under torture and following a trial that allegedly failed to meet international standards; whereas Jalali’s health situation has further deteriorated and resulted in a heart attack in May;

 

2. whereas in recent years, Iran has arrested dozens of Western nationals, many with dual-citizenship, on charges related to espionage and security;

 

3. whereas the Iranian authorities have intensified their use of the death penalty; whereas in 2024 executions have increased, with 901 persons executed and at least 578 so far in 2025;

 

 

 

1. Strongly condemns the increase of executions in Iran; reiterates its strong opposition to the use of the death penalty worldwide and urges to introduce a moratorium as a first step towards the abolition of capital punishment;
2. Calls on the Iranian authorities to promptly revoke the death sentence against Ahmadreza Jalali, and to review his case as well as those of other death row inmates; requests his release on humanitarian grounds; demands to investigate Jalali´s allegations of torture and denial of fair trial rights and to ensure immediate and adequate medical assistance to him;
3. Calls on the Iranian authorities to respect the fundamental right of the defendants to access a lawyer of their choice and the right to a fair trial and due process, to grant suspects access to their families, consular visits, as well as full access to medical treatment and health care services in accordance with Iran’s international obligations;
4. Strongly condemns the use of torture and other ill-treatment and urges Iranian authorities to put an end to the use of torture in places of detention; stresses that any alleged information obtained as a result of torture and ill-treatment should never be admitted as evidence in a judicial proceeding;
5. Condemns the practice of detaining and prosecuting dual nationals and using them as hostage to achieve foreign affairs aims;
6. Reiterates its call on Iran to provide the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran and the UN Fact-Finding Mission with full, unimpeded access to the country;
7. Calls on Member States to facilitate visas, asylum and emergency grants for those who need to flee Iran;
8. Stresses that further isolating Iran at global level can have detrimental consequences, such as strengthening hardliners of the regimen, further degrading women’s right as well as contributing to nuclear proliferation;
9. Strongly condemns the violent actions taken by the State of Israel against Iran on the night of 13 June, which were in violation of the UN Charter and international law;
10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the EU institutions, Member States, and the Iranian authorities.