THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) On 21 March 2011, the Council reiterated its deep concern about the deterioration of the human rights situation in Iran.
(2) The Council underlined in particular the dramatic increase in executions in recent months and the systematic repression of Iranian citizens, who face harassment and arrests for exercising their legitimate rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. The Union also reiterated its strong condemnation of the use of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.
(3) In this context, the Council reaffirmed its determination to continue to address human rights abuses in Iran and declared its readiness to introduce restrictive measures targeted against those responsible for grave human rights violations in Iran.
(4) The restrictive measures should target persons complicit in or responsible for directing or implementing grave human rights violations in the repression of peaceful demonstrators, journalists, human rights defenders, students or other persons who speak up in defence of their legitimate rights, including freedom of expression, as well as persons complicit in or responsible for directing or implementing; grave violations of the right to due process, torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, or the indiscriminate, excessive and increasing application of the death penalty, including public executions, stoning, hangings or the execution of juvenile offenders in contravention of Iran’s international human rights obligations.
(5) Further action by the Union is needed in order to implement certain measures,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: