As of June 19th, 22:00 UTC, Human Rights Activists have documented more than 2,694 casualties across Iran as a direct result of Israeli airstrikes, including 657 dead and 2,307 wounded. We, the undersigned organizations, express our grave concern over Israel’s illegal targeting of Iran, and in addition, its targeting of Iranian civilians and civilian infrastructure in violation of International Humanitarian Law.
In recent days, HRA’s reports have documented attacks on locations that are indisputably civilian, including residential neighborhoods, public service centers, medical facilities, and media institutions. The repeated and deliberate targeting of protected civilian infrastructure constitutes a breach of the principle of distinction, a cornerstone of IHL, and may amount to war crimes under international law. These are not abstract violations. Every attack shatters lives: children asleep in their homes, parents gathering for meals, grandparents who have lived for decades in neighborhoods now reduced to rubble. These are not numbers. These are human beings. Iranian civilians, already subjected to decades of repression, economic hardship, and structural violence, are now enduring bombardments in the very communities they have long called home.
We call on all States and members of the international community to:
- Call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, prioritizing the protection of civilian lives and reaffirming the imperative to uphold international peace and security.
- Publicly and unequivocally condemn the unlawful targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure in Iran, recognizing these actions as serious violations of international law.
- Reinforce adherence to international humanitarian law by ensuring that respect for civilian protection standards remains central to all bilateral and multilateral engagement.
- Support credible, independent investigations into these incidents, including through international accountability mechanisms.
- Reframe public discourse to center the humanity of victims, emphasizing the personal and societal impact of lives lost.
Failure to condemn and identify these violations at the earliest stages is a grave failure, one that amounts to silent complicity. Every instance of unlawful targeting represents a life ended, a family destroyed, a community torn apart. The international community must act with moral clarity and without delay. The erosion of these norms endangers not only Iranian civilians but all people living in conflict zones around the world. We urge all actors, States, intergovernmental organizations, and civil society to act now and to act together to ensure that the protection of civilians remains a universal priority.
Signed:
Center for Human Rights in Iran
CIVICUS
Siamak Pourzand Foundation
Access Now
Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRDIC)
Human Rights Activists (HRA)
CLADEM – Latin American and Caribbean Network of Women’s Rights
Tunisian League for Human Rights defense
Kandoo
Réseau des Défenseurs des Droits Humains en Afrique Centrale
De|Center
Women Empower and Mentor All (WEmpower)
SAPI International
Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE)
Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML)
Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development
Organization of the Justice Campaign
Life campaign to abolish the death sentence in Kurdistan
FORUMVERT
Digital Rights Kashmir
