Human rights experts from the United Nations on Friday, February 20, 2026, urged Iranian authorities to transparently disclose the fate and whereabouts of individuals who were “detained, forcibly disappeared, or missing” following the January protests, and to halt all death sentences and executions related to the demonstrations.
Mai Sato, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran, also wrote on X that most of those killed or detained during the protests were “ordinary citizens,” including children, people from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, and Afghan nationals.
She added: “Among them are lawyers who attempted to defend protesters, medical personnel who treated the injured, as well as journalists, writers, artists, and human rights defenders.”
In their statement, UN experts said it is impossible to determine the true scale of the violent crackdown on Iranian protesters. “The gap between official figures and estimates by civil society organizations only adds to the suffering of families searching for their loved ones and reflects a profound disregard for human rights and accountability,” they said.
The Iranian government has confirmed that 3,117 people were killed during the protests, but human rights organizations estimate that the number of those killed and detained reaches into the tens of thousands.
UN human rights experts warned that in the absence of transparency, a disturbing narrative will emerge, fueled by unverified reports of burial sites and secret executions.
Their statement concluded: “When a government refuses to account for the fate of its citizens, others will fill the void, and the image that forms will define this period of Iran’s history. The people of Iran have the right to know what is happening in their country. Without answers, we will assume the worst-case scenario.”
