On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted urgent resolutions addressing serious human rights abuses in Cameroon, Iran, and Belarus, highlighting the persecution of
journalists, political repression, and state violence.
Cameroon: end the persecution of journalists before 2025 elections
The European Parliament strongly condemned the ongoing persecution of journalists in Cameroon and called for the immediate and unconditional release of five detained reporters: Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior, and Tsi Conrad.
MEPs urged Cameroonian authorities to guarantee press freedom and uphold human rights, especially in the lead-up to the 2025 presidential election. They criticized the misuse of anti-terrorism laws and false “fake news” charges to silence critical voices, and demanded an end to military trials for civilians.
The resolution calls on the EU and member states to apply diplomatic and economic pressure on the Cameroonian government and to support a UN-led fact-finding mission. MEPs also urged the provision of humanitarian visas for journalists facing persecution.
Iran: halt executions and free political prisoners
Parliament condemned the alarming spike in executions in Iran, particularly targeting activists, women, minorities, and journalists. With the highest per capita execution rate globally, Iran's human rights situation continues to worsen, MEPs said.
They demanded a halt to the death sentences of activists Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, who face torture and inhumane detention, and called for an immediate moratorium on the death penalty, ultimately leading to its abolition.
MEPs called for the release of political prisoners including Pakhshan Azizi, Wirishe Moradi, Sharifeh Mohammadi, and Mahvash Sabet, and condemned Iran’s practice of “hostage diplomacy,” particularly the detention of EU nationals such as Cécile Kohler, Jacques Paris, and Ahmadreza Djalali.
They also reiterated the call to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization and to impose targeted sanctions against human rights violators. MEPs urged the international community to take strong action in response to Iran's global assassination plots against dissidents.
Belarus: freeze Lukashenka’s assets, support victims of repression
The European Parliament denounced the escalating repression under Alexander Lukashenka’s regime in Belarus and the increasing persecution of Belarusians abroad. MEPs reaffirmed they do not recognize Lukashenka as the legitimate leader and condemned the extraterritorial actions of his regime as violations of EU sovereignty.
MEPs called for:
- The release of political prisoners
- Legal support for Belarusians in exile
- A mechanism to freeze and confiscate Lukashenka's assets abroad, to be redirected to support victims of repression
They demanded that EU member states ignore politically motivated Interpol warrants and impose personal sanctions on those involved in transnational persecution, including officials from the Belarusian Investigative Committee.
The resolution also emphasized the need to support independent media and civil society, accelerate International Criminal Court cases for crimes against humanity, and expand the use of universal jurisdiction to hold perpetrators accountable.
This resolution was adopted with 535 votes in favor, 19 against, and 55 abstentions.