UN rights chief "horrified" by rising violence against peaceful Iranians

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has said that he was "horrified" by rising violence by Iran’s security forces against peaceful protesters and condemned what he described as efforts to label demonstrators as terrorists to justify the crackdown.

"The killing of peaceful demonstrators must stop, and the labelling of protesters as ‘terrorists’ to justify violence against them is unacceptable," Turk said in a statement read out by UN rights office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence, Caliber.Az reports, citing an Iranian opposition outlet.  

"As we saw most recently in 2022, broad sections of the Iranian population have taken to the streets, demanding fundamental changes in the governance of their country," Turk said. "And once again, the authorities’ reaction is to inflict brutal force to repress legitimate demands for change."

"This cycle of horrific violence cannot continue," he said. "The Iranian people and their demands for fairness, equality and justice must be heard."

Turk said all killings, violence against protesters and other rights violations must be investigated under international standards and that those responsible should be held to account.

Mass demonstrations began on 28 December 2025, originally triggered by a deepening economic crisis, soaring inflation, and the sharp devaluation of the Iranian rial. These protests quickly spread beyond economic grievances to broader political demands, with millions reportedly taking to the streets across all 31 provinces.

Iranian security forces have responded with lethal force in many cities. According to UN rights officials, hundreds of protesters have been killed, while some sources, including Iranian officials, have suggested that the death toll could be as high as 2,000 amid a violent nationwide crackdown.

By Khagan Isayev