UN Panel Finds Iran Committed Crimes Against Humanity in Protest Crackdown

An independent UN commission has determined that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity while suppressing widespread protests that erupted in late 2022. The commission's report, expected to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, details a "broad and systematic attack" by the Iranian regime against its citizens.

Investigators cited unlawful killings, torture, arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances, and severe restrictions on freedom of expression as key elements of the crackdown. While the commission could not independently verify the exact number of casualties, it estimated that the actual death and injury toll significantly exceeds the official figures released by Tehran, which claimed 3,038 deaths and approximately 25,000 injuries.

The report also noted that the government's response, including violence, internet shutdowns, and the use of the death penalty, marked a significant escalation compared to previous methods of suppressing dissent. Iran has previously alleged that "terrorists and rioters" supported by external actors, including the United States and Israel, were behind some of the unrest.

Separately, the UN panel found reasonable grounds to believe that the United States was behind two attacks in Iran in February, which could constitute war crimes, according to Reuters.