UN Human Rights Council to hold special session on Iran on Friday

GENEVA

The UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday said that it will hold a special session in Geneva on the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran on Friday.

In a statement, the council said the session has been convened following an official request submitted on Tuesday by Iceland, together with Germany, North Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova, the UK, and Northern Ireland.

Under council rules, a special session requires the support of at least one-third of its 47 members. The request has so far been backed by 21 council member states and 30 observer states, according to the statement.

Iran has seen waves of protests at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar since last month over the sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions. Demonstrations later spread to several other cities.

Officials have accused the US and Israel of backing what they describe as "armed rioters," who have carried out several attacks in public places nationwide.

The death toll from protests in Iran has risen to 4,029, according to the latest data from the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). A total of 26,015 have been arrested as of the 23rd day of nationwide protests in the country, the organization reported.

Meanwhile, at least 5,811 people have sustained severe injuries during the protests, per the report.

The council last held a special session on the human rights situation in Iran in November 2022, with a focus on women and children.