Defying international criticism, Iran has sentenced many protestors to death, and continues to execute people arrested during recent demonstrations.

The demonstrations started in mid-September after a young woman, Mahsa Amini, died in the custody of the ‘morality police’ for, they claimed, breaking the strict hijab rules. Hundreds of people have been killed in the protests that have followed and thousands arrested because of their brutal repression by the government.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called these death sentences “state sanctioned killing”, and said that the Iranian government is using executions to intimidate the population and stamp out dissent.

While the EU is discussing a fourth round of sanctions because of the regime crackdown and Iran's military support for Russia, some member states have called for the classification by the EU of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.

EU - Iran

Official visit of the President of the European Parliament to the Islamic Republic of Iran

Iranian President Hassan ROUHANI talks to Martin SCHULZ - EP President and members of European Parliament in Tehran, Iran, 07 November 2015. Schulz and his delegation are in Tehran to meet with Iranian officials.

Iranian President Hassan ROUHANI greets Martin SCHULZ - EP President and members of European Parliament in Tehran, Iran, 07 November 2015. Schulz and his delegation are in Tehran to meet with Iranian officials.

Iranian Foreign minister Mohammad Javad ZARIF talks to Martin SCHULZ - EP President and members of European Parliament in Tehran, Iran, 07 November 2015. Schulz and his delegation are in Tehran to meet with Iranian officials.

Iranian Foreign minister Mohammad Javad ZARIF greets Martin SCHULZ - EP President and members of European Parliament in Tehran, Iran, 07 November 2015. Schulz and his delegation are in Tehran to meet with Iranian officials.

Martin SCHULZ - EP President talks to Mohesen JALAJ POUR the president of Iran Chamber of Commerce Industries and Mines, (ICCIM), in Tehran, Iran, 07 November 2015. Schulz and his delegation are in Tehran to meet with Iranian officials

Martin SCHULZ - EP President greets Mohesen JALAJ POUR the president of Iran Chamber of Commerce Industries and Mines, (ICCIM), in Tehran, Iran, 07 November 2015. Schulz and his delegation are in Tehran to meet with Iranian officials

Martin SCHULZ - EP President greets with head of the Tehran University Dr. Mahmoud Nili Ahmadabadi at the Tehran University, in Tehran, Iran, 07 November 2015. Schulz and his delegation are in Tehran to meet with Iranian officials

Martin SCHULZ - EP President and members of European Parliament meet with Chancellor of the University of Tehran Dr. Mahmoud NILI AHMADABADI at the Tehran University, in Tehran, Iran, 07 November 2015.

Iran's Parliament speaker Ali LARIJANI (R) and Martin SCHULZ - EP President during press conference after meeting in Tehran on November 7, 2015.

Iran's Parliament speaker Ali LARIJANI (R) and Martin SCHULZ - EP President during meeting in Tehran on November 7, 2015.

EP President meets with Iranian opposition activists and former MPs

Each year Parliament awards the Sakharov Prize to honour exceptional individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms. The winner of this year’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is Jina Mahsa Amini and the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement in Iran. The 22-year-old Kurdish woman was visiting Tehran in September 2022, when she was arrested and beaten by the so-called moral police for wearing the hijab the “wrong” way. Her death a few days later sparked massive protests in Iran, with women at the forefront. Under the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom”, they have been protesting against the hijab law and other discriminatory laws. This infoclip shows footage of Iranian protests, riots and current images of Iranian people's life in Teheran. This infoclip shows street views, traffic and daily life in Tehran, Iran. The footage was shot in autumn 2023.

Infoclip: Tehran (Iran) - Sakharov Prize 2023

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