Humanists International Joins Civil Society Call for UN Special Session on Iran

Humanists International has joined dozens of civil society organizations in urging the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) to urgently convene a special session to address the escalating human rights crisis in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The joint civil society call highlighted widespread and coordinated lethal repression against largely peaceful protest movements in Iran, including mass unlawful killings, arbitrary detention, and severe restrictions on communication and civil liberties. The appeal calls on the HRC to respond decisively to the rapidly deteriorating situation and to uphold its responsibility to prevent further violations.

The joint call documented that since late December 2025, Iranian authorities had unleashed a campaign of lethal force against unarmed protesters. Credible reports indicated that security forces repeatedly used rifles and shotguns loaded with metal pellets against crowds, resulting in large numbers of deaths amid an extensive internet shutdown that severely restricted access to information. Hospitals have reportedly been overwhelmed, families have been searching for missing relatives, and eyewitness testimony described arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and raids on medical facilities.

Civil society organizations expressed grave concern that detainees were at serious risk of torture, ill-treatment, and execution, after state officials publicly characterised protesters as “rioters” and “terrorists” and encouraged harsh punishment. The call also pointed to Iran’s long-standing pattern of repression against dissent, recalling previous protest movements in which UN mechanisms found evidence of serious international crimes and systemic impunity.

As well as calling for a Special Session, the letter called on the HRC to:

• Extend the mandate of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFMI) to enable continued investigations into the ongoing wave of lethal repression, and renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, whose role remains vital for engaging with state authorities, including on urgent cases of individuals at risk of executions, torture and other serious human rights violations, and for serving as a visible voice for the promotion and protection of human rights for all in Iran;
• Request the FFMI to conduct an urgent inquiry, consistent with its mandate, into violations committed in the context of the current wave of protest repression, and to present its findings in an oral update at the 62^nd session, and a comprehensive report at the 63^rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, which should also include recommendations for a comprehensive approach for justice to break the cycle of impunity;
• Ensure that the FFMI be provided with appropriate additional resources to fulfil its mandate, including the additional reporting requested;
• Enhance the joint interactive dialogue with the FFMI and the Special Rapporteur scheduled for the 61^st session of the UN Human Rights Council, to allow for the participation of other stakeholders including survivors and Iranian human rights defenders.

Humanists International’s endorsement builds on its sustained advocacy on the human rights situation in Iran, including its work highlighting the ongoing repression of the Women, Life, Freedom movement at the HRC. In March 2025, Humanists International called out Iran’s systematic targeting of civil society, particularly women and girls subjected to discriminatory laws and brutal crackdowns, urging the Council to demand accountability and the release of detained protesters.

Featured Photo by aboodi vesakaran on Pexels.