During a special session, the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution presented by more than 20 countries, describing the human rights situation in the Iranian regime as “deeply concerning” and strongly condemning the violent suppression of recent nationwide protests.
The resolution, adopted on Friday, January 23, with 25 votes in favor and seven votes against, extended the mandate of the UN fact-finding mission for two years and the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for one additional year.
The @UN_HRC’s adoption of a resolution by a clear majority condemning the clerical regime’s brutal suppression of the Iranian people’s protests—alongside strong statements by country representatives and the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran—has exposed a clear truth:… pic.twitter.com/diRceMrbbm
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) January 23, 2026
Focusing specifically on the nationwide protests, the resolution reports the killing of thousands of peaceful protesters, including women and children, the injury of large numbers of citizens, and the arbitrary arrest and imprisonment of thousands during these protests.
More than 50% of the council’s members supported the resolution. As a result, this represents one of the highest levels of support a resolution on the human rights situation in Iran has ever received in the history of the UN Human Rights Council. The only time support for such a resolution was higher dates back to 2013.
A Case File of Crime in Isfahan During Iran’s Nationwide Protests
Mai Sato, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran, announced on January 22 that the number of people killed in the nationwide protests may exceed 20 thousand.
Unprecedented repression and allegations of extrajudicial killings
Expressing deep concern over the unprecedented scale of repression, the Human Rights Council stated that Iranian regime security forces used lethal and excessive force against protesters.
The resolution explicitly refers to reports of extrajudicial killings of protesters and describes these actions as clear violations of international human rights law.
Widespread arrests, enforced disappearances, detention in complete incommunicado conditions, and the use of torture and inhuman treatment were also cited as serious human rights violations, which the Human Rights Council called for to be halted immediately.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch previously stated that Iranian regime security agents, in their efforts to suppress the recent protests, directly targeted protesters’ heads and upper bodies using rifles and shotguns loaded with metal pellets.
Internet shutdown and obstruction of human rights documentation
The resolution condemned the nationwide and prolonged internet shutdown imposed in Iran since January 9 as a measure that violates international human rights law.
The council called for the immediate, full, and unrestricted restoration of internet access across Iran, emphasizing that the government’s action was intended to prevent the documentation of human rights violations and restrict citizens’ access to information.
NetBlocks, a global internet monitoring organization, warned on January 23 that the Iranian regime is attempting to create “fake traffic” to give the impression that internet access in Iran is returning to normal.
Mashhad Uprising: Field Reports Reveal Escalating Protests and Deadly Crackdown #IranProtests #IranRevolution #FreeIran2026 #No2ShahNo2Mullahshttps://t.co/X0JTNrsSqF via @irannewsupdate1
— Iran News Update (@IranNewsUpdate1) January 24, 2026
Concern over a widespread wave of executions
The UN Human Rights Council also expressed concern over the alarming increase in executions in Iran in 2025 and warned that the death penalty has been applied to individuals whose alleged crimes do not fall under the category of “the most serious crimes.”
The resolution described the risk of using the death penalty against recently detained protesters as “very serious.”
Emphasis on fundamental rights and the right to peaceful protest
The resolution emphasized the inalienable rights of citizens, including the right to life, liberty, personal security, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association, and freedom of thought and religion, even in the online sphere.
The resolution stated that all individuals must be able to express their demands through peaceful protests.
Call for accountability and an end to impunity
The Human Rights Council stressed the need to hold perpetrators of serious human rights violations accountable and to end systematic impunity in Iran.
The body reminded that the Iranian regime is obligated to conduct prompt, independent, transparent, and impartial investigations into all reports of human rights violations.
Extension of the mandates of the fact-finding mission and the Special Rapporteur
One of the most important parts of the resolution is the extension of the mandate of the independent international fact-finding mission on Iran for another two years.
The mission is tasked with conducting urgent investigations into recent and ongoing human rights violations related to the nationwide protests and submitting its reports to the Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly, including for possible use in future judicial proceedings.
The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran was also extended for one additional year to continue monitoring human rights conditions and assessing the implementation of previous recommendations.
