If human rights are disregarded elsewhere, we cannot remain silent here! On International Women’s Day, March 8, Iranian women took off their headscarves in the subway in Tehran and distributed flowers. This was a peaceful and courageous protest against the compulsory wearing of headscarves. The Iranian regime reacted with hard prison sentences. As human rights spokesperson for the Greens/EFA Group, I call for the EU to stand up for the freedom of human rights defenders in Iran!

I have successfully argued for a clear EU position. The urgency resolution on the protection of women’s rights defenders was signed by a large majority in Parliament.