Verbatim report of proceedings

Wednesday, 18 December 2019 - Strasbourg

Violent crackdown on recent protests in Iran (debate)

  Charlie Weimers (ECR). – Mr President, High Representative, let me tell you a tale of two teenagers. Nikta Esfandiari was only 14 when she was shot in the head by the Iranian regime. Her family had to look for three days before her body was handed to them. Meanwhile, the teenage sons and daughters of those responsible for Nikta’s death are living a life of luxury, shopping in European capitals, posing on Instagram in front of Ferraris and attending the most prestigious European and Western universities.

High Representative, we need a European Magnitsky Act now: targeted sanctions against human rights abusers. Let the family members of Iranian henchmen know that the door to Europe is closed. Let the family members of the murdered Iranian protesters know that Europe is on their side.