According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, more than 500 Iranians were executed by the Islamic regime in 2022. Since January 2023, over 200 individuals have been executed, averaging 10 per week. The European Union has urged Iran to cease this gruesome practice and has imposed sanctions due to the excessive use of force against protesters who have taken to the streets following the death of Mahsa Jina Amini while in the custody of Iran's 'morality police'.

We spoke with Arash Hampay, an Iranian human rights activist who endured a tough upbringing in Iran. When he was 12 years old, his father was killed by the forces of the Islamic regime. His older brother was executed. Arash himself has been jailed multiple times for his activism and has experienced the harsh conditions of Tehran's notorious Evin prison, where political prisoners are detained. During his time there, he was subjected to both physical and psychological torture. We asked Arash about his assessment of the nature of the Iranian regime and wanted to know from him what steps he thinks the EU should take to support the Iranian people.