Escalation of repression in Iran, violent crackdowns against protesters and internet blackout

Priority question for written answer P-000070/2026
to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Rule 144
Susanna Ceccardi (PfE), Anna Maria Cisint (PfE), Silvia Sardone (PfE)

The recent wave of protests in Iran, triggered by a severe economic crisis and the regime's failure to guarantee freedom, dignity and fundamental rights, has been met with brutal violence, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests. Once again, women are the main victims of a theocratic system that forcibly imposes the veil, denies personal freedom and cracks down on all forms of female emancipation.

The authorities' response to this nationwide uprising has been lethal force, mass arrests and an almost total internet blackout for over 84 hours now[1], in the hope of concealing human rights violations and stifling dissent. Digital censorship is being used as a political tool to isolate the Iranian people and prevent the truth about the extent of repression in the country from reaching the international community.

The Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) is therefore kindly asked to answer the following questions:

• 1.What steps does the EU intend to take to unequivocally condemn the Iranian regime's repression and defend the rights and freedoms of its citizens?
• 2.How does the EEAS intend to take immediate and decisive action - including by means of targeted sanctions under the EU's comprehensive human rights sanctions regime (the 'EU Magnitsky Act') - against those responsible for the repression and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps?
• 3.What urgent action does the EU intend to take to combat the digital blackouts imposed by the regime?

Submitted: 12.1.2026

• [1] https://www.rainews.it/maratona/2026/01/iran-unaltra-notte-di-proteste-khamenei-trump-si-occupi-dei-problemi-degli-usa-3f6b8512-ef90-49a7-b3a7-ef570f33c3c4.html.