March 14, 2025
Rehan Piracha
LAHORE: The United Nations Human Rights Council’s (UNHCR) Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran has released a comprehensive report detailing gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity committed in the context of the protests that began on 16 September 2022. The report consolidates findings from two years of investigations, focusing on the treatment of women, girls, and other groups supporting human rights, particularly in relation to the enforcement of mandatory hijab laws. The mission’s findings highlight systemic discrimination, violent repression, and a lack of accountability for these violations.
The mission employed a victim-centred approach, adhering to UN methodologies and best practices. It applied the “reasonable grounds to believe” standard of proof, collecting over 38,000 evidence items, including interviews with 285 victims and witnesses, and corroborating information from credible human rights organizations and experts.
Persecution of those defying mandatory hijab
The report underscores the pervasive persecution of women and girls who defy Iran’s mandatory hijab laws. Despite pre-election assurances by President Masoud Pezeshkian to ease enforcement, state authorities have intensified measures to suppress women’s rights. The “Noor” plan, launched in April 2024, involved deploying police officers and ‘ambassadors of kindness’ to monitor and enforce hijab compliance.
In 2024 alone, at least 618 women were arrested under this plan.
Women and girls continue to face physical violence during arrests and detention, with some subjected to flogging and other forms of corporal punishment. The judiciary has reinforced discriminatory legal frameworks, with women increasingly summoned to Criminal or Revolutionary Courts for non-compliance with hijab laws. The mission documented cases of women being sentenced to flogging and fines, with one woman’s bank account closed as punishment.
The proposed Hijab and Chastity Law, which was suspended in December 2024, would have further restricted women’s bodily autonomy, imposing severe penalties, including up to 10 years in prison and fines for non-compliance. The law also proposed enhanced surveillance and enforcement powers for security apparatus and citizens.
Escalated repression against protesters
The mission found that victims, their families, and supporters of the protests have faced intensified repression. Security forces have harassed, intimidated, and threatened individuals who published information about injuries sustained during protests. Families of victims, including that of Jina Mahsa Amini, have been prevented from commemorating their loved ones, with some family members arrested and charged with “propaganda against the State.”
Human rights defenders, journalists, teachers, lawyers, and artists have also been targeted, with many forced to leave Iran due to threats and persecution. The state has extended its repression beyond Iran’s borders, silencing dissent both inside and outside the country.
11 men, 3 women on death row for protests
The report highlights a significant escalation in the use of the death penalty in the aftermath of the protests. Credible human rights organizations recorded between 938 to 973 executions in 2024, a three-fold increase from 2021. The majority of those executed were convicted of drug-related offenses, but the mission noted a nexus between the increase in executions and the overall repression of dissent.
At least 10 men have been executed in relation to the protests, with 11 men and three women at imminent risk of execution. The mission expressed concerns about gross fair trial violations, including confessions obtained under torture. While some death sentences were overturned, others were reimposed, indicating a pattern of judicial harassment and intimidation.
Gender impact of the death penalty
The use of the death penalty against women activists and human rights defenders has escalated, particularly following their convictions for national security offenses. Between July and October 2024, three women activists were sentenced to death on charges of “armed rebellion against the state.” The mission found that these sentences were imposed amidst serious fair trial violations and confessions obtained under torture.
Use of force resulting in deaths and injuries
The mission documented additional instances of unnecessary and disproportionate use of lethal force by security forces, resulting in the deaths and injuries of protesters and bystanders, including children. The report reaffirmed widespread patterns of systematic ocular injuries, with many victims sustaining permanent blindness from metal pellets fired at close range.
In Karaj, Alborz province, the mission investigated a protest on 3 November 2022 where at least three protesters were shot and injured, with one blinded and another sustaining 160 pellet injuries. The mission also examined the cases of Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini and Mohammad Mehdi Karami, who were executed in January 2023 following a summary trial marred by fair trial violations.
Arbitrary arrests, torture, and sexual violence
The mission found patterns of widespread arbitrary arrests, torture, and ill-treatment of detainees, including children. Victims were subjected to beatings, flogging, prolonged solitary confinement, and mock executions. Sexual violence, including rape and gang rape, was also documented, with women and girls particularly vulnerable to such abuses.
Protester deaths dismissed as ‘suicide’
The mission investigated at least six cases where protesters’ deaths were dismissed by the state as “suicide.” The mission expressed serious concerns about the state’s handling of these cases, noting delayed or flawed investigations, contradictory narratives, and the withholding of medical and toxicology reports. The mission found indicia of physical violence perpetrated by state agents, suggesting that these deaths may have been extra-judicial executions.
Ethnic and religious minorities
The report highlights the disproportionate impact of state repression on ethnic and religious minorities, particularly Kurds and Baluchis. Security forces deployed military-grade weapons more frequently in minority-populated regions, resulting in higher numbers of injuries and deaths. The mission documented large-scale arrests, torture, and discriminatory practices in detention and sentencing, with minorities subjected to particularly egregious forms of abuse.
LGBTQ+ persons
LGBTQ+ individuals were disproportionately affected by state repression, with many subjected to dehumanizing treatment, threats, and torture in detention. The mission found that the state’s actions constituted an intentional campaign to target and suppress LGBTQ+ persons based on their real or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity.
Children and torture
Children were at the forefront of the protests and faced particularly violent repression. The mission documented the killing and maiming of child protesters, arbitrary arrests, and widespread torture and sexual violence in detention. Children as young as seven were subjected to mock executions and solitary confinement, with many suffering long-term physical and psychological trauma.
Digital space and transnational repression
The state has intensified its control over the digital space, imposing internet shutdowns, developing a National Internet Network, and engaging in widespread surveillance. Activists, journalists, and human rights defenders abroad have also been targeted, with threats, intimidation, and harassment extending beyond Iran’s borders.
Accountability and impunity
The mission found scant evidence of accountability for human rights violations. Judicial authorities delayed or dismissed complaints from victims, and few security officials were held accountable for their actions. The mission emphasized the need for comprehensive accountability measures, including truth, justice, and reparations for victims.
Recommendations
The mission reaffirmed its previous findings of gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity in Iran. It recommended that the Human Rights Council mandate an independent body to continue investigating these violations, focusing on structural and systemic discrimination, and ensuring accountability for perpetrators. The mission also called for continued international attention to the human rights situation in Iran, particularly in light of the ongoing persecution of women, girls, and other vulnerable groups.
The report underscores the urgent need for the international community to address the human rights crisis in Iran, ensuring justice and reparations for victims and preventing further violations.