A coalition of 78 Nobel Prize laureates has issued a joint appeal to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, calling for urgent international action in response to what they describe as escalating human rights violations and a growing wave of executions in Iran.
The statement, signed by Nobel laureates from a broad range of disciplines—including Peace, Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Literature, and Economics—raises concerns about developments following the widespread protests that took place across Iran in January 2026. The signatories warn that the international community must not remain passive as reports emerge of executions, mass arrests, and increasing pressure on political prisoners.
The appeal represents one of the most prominent international interventions by a group of Nobel laureates on Iran in recent years, bringing together leading figures from more than two dozen countries.
Concerns Over Executions and Arrests
According to the statement, Iranian authorities intensified their crackdown on dissent in the aftermath of the January protests. Citing reports from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Nobel laureates state that dozens of political prisoners have already been executed.
Those reportedly targeted include participants in the January demonstrations, political activists, and individuals accused of links to the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). The statement also refers to reports indicating that more than 4,000 people have been arrested on security-related charges.
On March 15, in a joint letter to the President of the Council of Europe, 24 Nobel Prize winners expressed their support of #IranRevoIution and the 10-point plan of NCRI President-elect @Maryam_Rajavi. pic.twitter.com/W9ERcz8PE1
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) March 19, 2023
In addition, the signatories point to information from internal sources suggesting that the initial suppression of the protests may have resulted in several thousand casualties.
The laureates describe the situation as a “widespread, systematic, and ongoing” violation of fundamental rights. Their statement emphasizes the consequences of international inaction, warning that silence from the global community risks emboldening further repression.
Four Demands Directed at the United Nations
At the center of the appeal are four specific requests directed toward the United Nations and the wider international community.
First, the signatories call for a complete halt to the use of the death penalty, particularly in cases involving political charges.
Second, they demand the immediate release of political prisoners and individuals detained during recent protests.
Third, they urge the establishment of unrestricted international monitoring of Iranian detention facilities. The statement calls for independent oversight mechanisms capable of assessing prison conditions and monitoring the treatment of detainees.
Finally, the laureates encourage democratic governments around the world to reconsider their diplomatic and economic engagement with Iran. In their view, progress toward abolishing the death penalty should become a central benchmark in relations with Tehran.
Together, these demands reflect an effort to place human rights concerns at the forefront of international discussions regarding Iran.
Position on Iran’s Political Future
Beyond addressing the immediate human rights situation, the statement also outlines a broader vision regarding Iran’s future political trajectory.
The Nobel laureates explicitly reject both foreign military intervention and any return to previous authoritarian forms of governance. They state that the future of Iran should be determined exclusively by its citizens through a democratic process based on free choice and national sovereignty.
The statement argues against what it describes as dictatorship in either monarchical or religious forms, emphasizing that political change should occur without war and without outside military involvement.
In this context, the signatories express support for the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and its proposed framework for political transition. They specifically reference the Ten-Point Plan presented by NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi, describing it as a democratic roadmap for a peaceful transfer of power through a temporary transitional government.
Timing Ahead of June 20 Gathering
The release of the statement comes shortly before June 20, 2026, a date observed as the Day of Martyrs and Political Prisoners.
According to the report, more than 100,000 Iranians and international supporters are expected to participate in a major gathering in Paris to draw attention to the issues raised in the appeal. Organizers intend to use the event as an opportunity to amplify calls for international action and to highlight concerns regarding political prisoners and executions in Iran.
The timing of the Nobel laureates’ intervention is likely to increase international attention on the event and on the broader human rights situation in the country.
A Diverse Coalition of Nobel Laureates
One of the most notable aspects of the appeal is the breadth of support behind it.
The 78 signatories come from countries including the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, and Ukraine. Their backgrounds span a wide range of academic, scientific, literary, and humanitarian fields.
According to the statement, the coalition includes 22 Nobel laureates in Chemistry, 21 in Physics, 18 in Medicine, seven in Literature, six Peace Prize recipients, and four laureates in Economics.
Among the signatories are José Ramos-Horta, President of Timor-Leste and recipient of the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize; Geoffrey Hinton, the 2024 Nobel laureate in Physics and a leading figure in artificial intelligence research; and John Mather, senior project scientist for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.
Other participants include Nobel Peace Prize laureates Oscar Arias and Oleksandra Matvichuk, as well as internationally recognized literary figures Kazuo Ishiguro, Wole Soyinka, and Herta Müller. The list also features prominent scientists and medical researchers such as Victor Ambros, Harvey J. Alter, and Sir Peter Ratcliffe.
The involvement of figures from such diverse backgrounds highlights the international visibility the issue has gained and reflects a shared concern among signatories regarding recent developments in Iran.
As attention turns toward the June 20 gathering in Paris, the joint appeal places renewed focus on reports of executions, political detentions, and the broader debate over international responses to events unfolding inside Iran.
