Human rights breaches in Cameroon, Iran and Belarus

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament.

• Urgent need to address the persecution of journalists in Cameroon and ensure press freedom ahead of presidential election 
• MEPs demand an end to Iran’s execution spree and the release of political prisoners, including EU nationals 
• Freeze Lukashenka’s assets abroad and use them to support victims of repression in Belarus 

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted human rights resolutions on Cameroon, Iran and Belarus.

Prosecution of journalists in Cameroon, including the cases of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior, and Tsi Conrad

Parliament condemns the systematic violations of journalists’ human rights by the Cameroonian authorities and calls on them to ensure press freedom ahead of the country’s 2025 presidential election. MEPs demand the immediate and unconditional release of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior, and Tsi Conrad. They emphasise that their rights and access to medical care must be guaranteed. Parliament urges the EU and its member states to raise these cases with Cameroon’s authorities; as well as to apply diplomatic and economic pressure to improve the respect for human rights in the country. Additionally, MEPs demand an end to military trials for civilians and to the misuse of terrorism and ‘fake news’ charges against journalists. They call on the EU to support a UN fact-finding mission, and demand the offer of humanitarian visas for journalists at risk of persecution.

The resolution was adopted by a show of hands. For further details, the full version will be available here. (03.04.2025)

Execution spree in Iran and death sentences of activists Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani

Parliament condemns the unprecedented increase in the number of executions in Iran, particularly targeting human rights activists, dissidents, women, journalists, and minorities. With the highest death sentence rate per capita globally, MEPs say Iran’s human rights situation continues to deteriorate . They denounce the systemic persecution of women, children, and ethnic and religious minorities such as Christians, Baha’is, Kurds, and Baluchis. MEPs also condemn the confirmation of death sentences for activists Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, who are subjected to torture and detained under inhumane conditions.

Parliament urges the Iranian government to introduce an immediate moratorium on capital punishment, and its eventual abolition . It demands the release of all political prisoners on death row, including Pakhshan Azizi, Wirishe Moradi, Sharifeh Mohammadi, and Mahvash Sabet. MEPs condemn Iran’s use of hostage diplomacy, particularly against EU nationals like Cécile Kohler, Jacques Paris, and Ahmadreza Djalali, and ask for their immediate release. EU-Iran relations can only improve on the condition, MEPs say, that the death sentence is abolished and political prisoners – some of which are EU nationals – are released.

Finally, Parliament reiterates its call for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to be designated a terrorist organisation, to sanction those responsible for human rights violations and call on the international community to respond fiercely to Tehran’s international assassination attempts targeting opponents of the regime.

The resolution was adopted by a show of hands. For further details, the full version will be available here. (03.04.2025)

Immediate risk of further repression by Lukashenka’s regime in Belarus – threats from the Investigative Committee

MEPs call for the immediate end to the political repression of Lukashenka’s regime, the surveillance of demonstrators, and the release of political prisoners .They condemn how Belarusians abroad are also increasingly the target of repression by the regime, and call for EU-wide legal support for exiled individuals.

Parliament reiterates that it does not recognise Lukashenka as the country’s leader and considers the persecution of Belarusian citizens abroad to be a direct violation of member states’ territorial sovereignty. MEPs advocate for the swift development and enforcement of a legal mechanism to freeze and confiscate the assets and properties owned by Lukashenka and his inner circle abroad, in order to reallocate them to support victims of repression. It calls on all member states to disregard Interpol arrest warrants for Lukashenka’s political opponents. MEPs urge the immediate imposition of personal sanctions on officials responsible for transnational persecution and intimidation, including members of the Belarusian Investigative Committee. They call for increased support for independent media, human rights defenders, and civil society initiatives. MEPs stress the importance of countering Belarusian intelligence operations, expediting the International Criminal Court proceedings on crimes against humanity, and pursuing national accountability through the use of universal jurisdiction.

The resolution was adopted by 535 votes in favour, 19 against and 55 abstentions. For further details, the full version will be available here. (03.04.2025)