Mai Sato, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, warned in a new message about the continuation of the human rights crisis in Iran and emphasized that this crisis is not limited to recent developments and conflicts.
با فرا رسیدن نوروز ــ جشنی باستانی که نماد نو شدن، همدلی و امید است و میلیونها نفر در ایران و فراتر از مرزهایش آن را برگزار میکنند ــ بسیاری ناچارند سال نو را زیر آتش بمباران، آواره از خانههای خود و در سوگ عزیزان از دسترفته سپری کنند. من از همه طرفین میخواهم که فوراً به…
— Mai Sato (@drmaisato) March 20, 2026
Ahead of the Iranian New Year, this United Nations official stated in a message on X (formerly Twitter) that the human rights situation in Iran neither began with the recent U.S. and Israeli attacks nor will it end with the possible conclusion of these conflicts. According to her, the roots of this crisis go back many years and continue to persist.
In part of her remarks, Sato referred to the condition of citizens who have been affected during recent developments and said that these individuals are the same people who had previously played a central role in nationwide protests. With this reference, she emphasized the continued pressure on civil society and ordinary citizens.
The UN Special Rapporteur further listed executions, repression of minorities, detention of political prisoners, and violence against women as examples of human rights violations in Iran, noting that these issues existed even before the war and still require urgent attention from the international community.
Mai Sato also called for a halt to the conflict and a move toward diplomatic solutions, urging the parties involved to pursue dialogue. In another part of her message, referring to the arrival of Nowruz (the Persian New Year), she described it as a time for solidarity and being with family.
In this regard, she called on officials of the Iranian regime to end internet restrictions, enable free communication for citizens, and release all arbitrarily detained individuals, especially those connected to nationwide protests.
At the same time, reports on social media indicate that many citizens, due to ongoing internet shutdowns and disruptions, have been unable to obtain information about their families on the eve of Nowruz, a situation that has further increased humanitarian and social concerns.
