UN rights chief warns of escalating crackdown in Iran amid conflict

Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said he was “appalled that – on top of the already severe impacts of the conflict – the rights of the Iranian people continue to be stripped from them.”

At least 21 people have been executed and more than 4,000 arrested on national security-related charges since late February, according to human rights office, OHCHR. Those executed include individuals linked to protests, alleged opposition group members and people accused of espionage.

Mr. Türk stressed that even during wartime, fundamental protections must be upheld.

“In times of war, threats to human rights increase exponentially,” he said, adding that core rights such as protection against arbitrary detention and the right to a fair trial “must be respected absolutely, at all times.”

Halt executions, ensure due process

The High Commissioner called on authorities to “halt all further executions, establish a moratorium on the use of capital punishment, fully ensure due process and fair trial guarantees, and immediately release those arbitrarily detained.”

OHCHR warned that Iran’s broad use of national security charges has placed many individuals – including children – at risk.

Reports of torture, coerced confessions and denial of legal representation have raised serious concerns about due process.

Detainees are also facing harsh conditions, with overcrowding, shortages of basic supplies and limited access to medical care. The health of imprisoned Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi is reportedly deteriorating, while other detainees have died in custody under circumstances suggesting possible torture.

Internet shutdowns

Authorities have also imposed one of the world’s longest internet shutdowns, cutting off access now for 61 days, making it one of the longest and most severe shutdowns ever recorded.

“This is denying people across the country access to vital information, silencing independent voices, and inflicting enormous social and economic harm,” Mr. Türk said.

“It is exacerbating an already precarious humanitarian and economic situation and must be lifted immediately.”

© WFP/Mustapha Ghabris

Displaced families at a shelter in Beirut, Lebanon. (file)

Children in Lebanon caught in crisis

The human toll of conflict is also evident elsewhere in the region. In Lebanon, children continue to bear the brunt of instability and displacement, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Wednesday.

The agency warned that children with disabilities face heightened risks during crises, noting that more than 38,000 people are receiving support through a national disability assistance programme backed by partners.

Among them are 12,000 families – including 17,500 children – who have received urgent cash assistance.

“Children in Lebanon need more than a pause in hostilities,” UNICEF said. “They need stability, protection, and the chance to keep growing, learning and dreaming.”