Iran – enough attention? | Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

Iran – enough attention?

January 29, 2026

Several readers of this blog, who are very concerned with the situation in Iran, wonder whether the human rights world is paying enough attention. There is no agreed criterion for measuring and – for sure – what the UN and NGOs can do is anyway limited. Still, just to give an idea here a list of recent links:

Report of the 39th Special Session of the Human Rights Council on the Human Rights Situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran

https://ifex.org/iran-women-human-rights-defenders-targeted-amid-intensifying-repression/

https://www.meforum.org/mef-reports/after-the-protests-who-can-lead-iran

https://www.article19.org/resources/iran-20-days-of-shutdown-hides-full-scale-of-human-rights-abuses/

https://iranwire.com/en/news/148285-prominent-activist-warns-of-regime-scorched-earth-strategy/

https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2025/01/20/iran-reform-and-the-role-of-human-rights-defenders

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202601236526
https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/un-geneva/eu-statement-special-session-human-rights-situation-iran_en
https://freedomhouse.org/article/tipping-balance-how-support-iranians-their-tireless-struggle-freedom
https://www.fidh.org/en/region/asia/iran/iran-must-be-held-accountable-for-mass-killings-of-protesters-and
https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2026/01/high-commissioner-turk-calls-iranian-authorities-end-their-brutal
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/01/iran-after-unprecedented-violence-priority-must-be-gathering-evidence-hold

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20gypw8enjo

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/01/29/8018512/

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/statement-report/iran-mass-arrest-human-rights-defenders-amid-escalating-repression-civil-society

https://www.cfr.org/articles/what-are-the-global-options-for-defending-iranians-rights

https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-protest-death-toll-ofogh-tv/33666963.html

https://tomdispatch.com/why-trumps-denunciations-of-the-iranian-killings-ring-fatally-hollow

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/3/game-is-over-irans-ex-leaders-hardliners-clash-after-protest-killings

https://www.eurasiareview.com/03022026-iran-publishes-protest-death-list-but-rights-groups-say-toll-is-far-higher/

https://www.eurasiareview.com/05022026-iran-human-rights-situation-spirals-deeper-into-crisis-hrw-says/

https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/02/09/power-struggle-in-iran-as-revolutionary-guards-arrest-presidents-allies/

https://www.ukrinform.net/amp/rubric-economy/4091781-canada-expands-sanctions-on-iran-over-crackdown-on-protesters.html

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202602173504

https://english.elpais.com/international/2026-02-18/mai-sato-un-special-rapporteur-on-iran-military-action-is-not-a-magic-solution.html

https://newlinesinstitute.org/middle-east-center/punishing-vulnerability-irans-minority-crackdown-after-the-12-day-war/

https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/iran-war-womens-rights-democracy

https://reliefweb.int/report/iran-islamic-republic/iran-thousands-prisoners-risk

https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-protests-january-executions/33732949.html

Opinion: Iran is already ramping up its next war. Guess who the ‘enemy’ is.

https://freedomhouse.org/article/iranian-struggle-freedom-call-renewed-global-solidarity-support-people-iran

https://www.iranhr.net/en/articles/8695/

https://www.justiceinfo.net/en/158387-iranians-between-a-rock-and-hard-place.html

https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2026/apr/24/pope-leo-condemns-protester-killing-iran-video

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/25/hanged-under-the-cover-of-war-letters-and-videos-tell-stories-of-iran-death-row-victims

https://alhurra.com/en/19400

UN Rights Chief Urges Halt to Executions, Warns of Escalating Repression Iran

https://iranfocus.com/human-rights/57848-record-number-of-imprisoned-writers-worldwide-iran-ranks-second-with-53-jailed-writers

Iran arrested at least 6,000 people since war began: Rights group

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-897985

https://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/human-rights/stop-executions-in-iran/fox-news-iran-accelerates-execution-campaign-against-dissidents-amid-internet-blackouts

HANA Report: The Growing Crisis of the Right to Defense and Independent Lawyers in Iran Amid War Conditions and the Effective Collapse of the Rule of Law

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/06/iran-peace-deal-must-not-come-cost-human-rights-warn-un-experts

On 13 July 2026 Maryam Babak wrote for CIVICUS Lens: “IRAN: ‘Silencing society, and particularly women, is the regime’s survival strategy’

https://www.ncr-iran.org/en/ncri-statements/statement-human-rights/iran-criminal-execution-of-aref-khoshkar-and-mohammad-amini-dahaqani