Headlines
UN rights council to hold emergency session on Iran, document shows
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on January 20, 2026
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Quick Summary
The UN Human Rights Council will hold an emergency session to discuss violence against Iranian protesters, with over 5,000 deaths reported.
U.N. Human Rights Council to Convene Emergency Session on Iran
Emergency Session on Iran's Protest Violence
By Olivia Le Poidevin and Emma Farge
Context of the Protests
GENEVA, Jan 20 (Reuters) - The U.N. Human Rights Council will hold an emergency session on Iran in the coming days, with proponents aiming to discuss "alarming violence" used against protesters, a document showed on Tuesday.
International Reactions
An Iranian official said authorities have verified at least 5,000 deaths in the protests which are the biggest demonstrations since 2022, prompting U.N. rights chief Volker Turk to condemn the violence.
Iran's Response to Allegations
"A special session is needed because of the importance and urgency of the situation, in particular due to credible reports of alarming violence, crackdowns on protesters and violations of international human rights law across the country," according to a letter written by Iceland's ambassador Einar Gunnarsson on behalf of a group of countries including Germany and Britain, and seen by Reuters.
Human Rights Watch has denounced mass unlawful killings and is asking for an existing U.N. probe, set up by the council in 2022 after the last wave of protests, to investigate the deaths and be given extra financing to do so.
Iran's diplomatic mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Diplomats said Iran had sent to missions pages of rebuttal against allegations of a crackdown, saying the clashes followed armed attacks on security forces.
(Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin and Emma Farge in Geneva, editing by Linda Pasquini)
Key Takeaways
- •UN Human Rights Council to hold an emergency session on Iran.
- •The session will address violence against Iranian protesters.
- •Iranian authorities report at least 5,000 deaths.
- •UN rights chief Volker Turk condemns the violence.
- •The protests are the largest since 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions about UN rights council to hold emergency session on Iran, document shows
1What is violence against protesters?
Violence against protesters refers to the use of physical force by authorities or individuals to suppress or intimidate those participating in demonstrations.
2What is the role of the U.N. rights chief?
The U.N. rights chief is responsible for overseeing human rights issues globally, addressing violations, and advocating for the protection of human rights.
