Logo Assembly Logo Hemicycle

The Iranian regime’s murderous suppression, and the need to declare the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organisation

Motion for a resolution | Doc. 15705 | 01 February 2023

Signatories:
Mr Markus WIECHEL, Sweden, EC/DA ; Ms Boriana ÅBERG, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Ms Nickie AIKEN, United Kingdom, EC/DA ; Mr Pavlo BAKUNETS, Ukraine, EC/DA ; Mr Bob De BRABANDERE, Belgium, EC/DA ; Mr Thibaut FRANÇOIS, France, EC/DA ; Ms Jo GIDEON, United Kingdom, EC/DA ; Mr Gustaf GÖTHBERG, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Mr Martin GRAF, Austria, EC/DA ; Mr Ion GROZA, Republic of Moldova, EPP/CD ; Ms Sally-Ann HART, United Kingdom, EC/DA ; Lord Richard KEEN, United Kingdom, EC/DA ; Mrs Pauline LATHAM, United Kingdom, EC/DA ; Ms Carmen LEYTE, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Ian LIDDELL-GRAINGER, United Kingdom, EC/DA ; Mr Arminas LYDEKA, Lithuania, ALDE ; Ms Jill MORTIMER, United Kingdom, EC/DA ; Mrs Sheryll MURRAY, United Kingdom, EC/DA ; Mr Mika NIIKKO, Finland, EC/DA ; Mr José María SÁNCHEZ GARCÍA, Spain, EC/DA ; Mr Marco SCURRIA, Italy, EC/DA ; Mr Ričards ŠLESERS, Latvia, NR ; Ms Domenica SPINELLI, Italy, EC/DA ; Ms Jessica STEGRUD, Sweden, EC/DA ; Ms Beatrice TIMGREN, Sweden, EC/DA ; Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD

The world rightly reacted with abhorrence and repugnance to the brutal murder on 16 September 2022 by Iranian security forces – and notably by its Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – of a young Iranian woman, Mahsa Jina Amini, on the grounds that she was allegedly wearing her compulsory hijab the wrong way.

Since that date, the international community has fully supported the Iranian people in its heroic and widening struggle against the country’s barbaric regime. It is alarmed by the Revolutionary Guard’s subsequent and ongoing slaughter of thousands of innocent Iranian civilians taking part in peaceful demonstrations, as well as the torture, rape and murder of protesters in custody. It condemns the massacre committed by the regime in killing scores of political prisoners and others, for instance in the notorious Evin prison.

Meanwhile, the protest movement’s slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom!’ is serving as a most dignified inspiration for millions of Iranians seeking to cast off a decades-old – and now encouragingly enough creaking – yoke of regime oppression. Meanwhile, a growing number of countries have declared the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organisation. Thus, the United States and Canada have already done so, while the United Kingdom is expected very soon to follow suit, and strong voices within the European Union are seriously considering taking the same step.

The Parliamentary Assembly, in conclusion, is asked to work in favour of:

  • continued and further strengthened pan-European solidarity with the Iranian protesters in their noble struggle for fundamental rights and freedoms;
  • tough sanctions to be imposed on those responsible for the current oppression – as well, as the case may be, on their close relatives;
  • having as many countries as possible – especially within the Council of Europe’s own ranks – declare the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organisation;
  • the establishment of complete and unimpeded internet access for the people of Iran.