The United Nations human rights office and the Independent International Fact Finding Mission on Iran have issued renewed calls for accountability following recent protests and the authorities’ response across the country. Speaking at a special session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, senior officials warned that while open violence may have eased, repression and abuse remain widespread.
High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk told the council that although the killing on the streets of Iran may have subsided, brutality has not ended. He stressed that violent repression does nothing to address Iran’s underlying problems and instead deepens public anger and mistrust. Turk highlighted Iran’s record as one of the world’s leading executioner states, noting that at least 1,500 people were reportedly executed in 2025 alone.
He expressed serious concern over conflicting statements from Iranian authorities regarding the fate of those detained during the protests. While Iran’s foreign minister suggested that executions were not being considered, senior judicial officials have continued to threaten protesters with charges that carry mandatory death sentences. Turk urged the government to end these threats and called for a full moratorium on the death penalty.
The High Commissioner also demanded the restoration of full internet and telecommunications access, describing current restrictions as unacceptable. He called for the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained and urged Iranian authorities to ensure accountability for serious human rights violations. According to Turk, meaningful reforms are needed to rebuild trust between the state and society and to repair what he described as a broken social contract.
Sara Hossain, chair of the Independent International Fact Finding Mission on Iran, echoed these concerns. She said the priority must now be the systematic gathering of evidence to determine whether human rights violations and crimes under international law, including crimes against humanity, have occurred. Hossain emphasized that accountability is the only way to prevent future abuses and to break the long standing cycle of impunity.
Citing credible reports, Hossain said that thousands of people have been killed since the protests began in late December, while the Iranian government claims that at least 300 members of the security forces also lost their lives. More than 24,000 people have reportedly been arrested, including children, journalists, and human rights defenders.
The European Union also voiced strong support for the Iranian people. Speaking on behalf of the bloc, Michele Cervone d’Urso condemned the brutal repression of peaceful protests and described the nationwide communications blackout as unacceptable. He reaffirmed the EU’s support for renewing the mandates of both the fact finding mission and the special rapporteur, stressing that ending systemic impunity for grave human rights violations is essential.
As international scrutiny intensifies, UN officials and global partners continue to press Iranian authorities to choose accountability and reform over repression, warning that failure to do so risks further violence and lasting harm to the country and its people.
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