Human Rights Council 63rd Session
Interactive Dialogue on the report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran
Statement delivered by Denmark on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic States Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden
[Check against delivery]
21 September 2026
President,
I am delivering this statement on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic States.
We thank the Fact-Finding Mission for its report and its vital work on documenting the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
We reiterate our serious concern about ongoing human rights violations. State-driven repression has intensified since the nationwide protest began in December 2025, while the ongoing war has further exacerbated the situation on the ground, used as a pretext for “wartime conditions” to justify serious human rights violations.
Recent sharp spikes in executions and use of the death penalty, including against individuals involved in protests, are deeply alarming, especially amid reports that death sentences followed due process violations, forced confessions, restricted access to chosen lawyers, and limited information access.
We call on Iran to immediately end the use of the death penalty, impose a moratorium on executions, and release all arbitrarily detained persons for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
We are concerned that many gross human rights violations amount to the crimes against humanity of murder, imprisonment, torture, and other inhumane acts.
Given your findings of crimes against humanity, what are the most realistic pathways for accountability, and what steps should States take to support justice for victims and their families?
I thank you.