39th special session of the Human Rights Council
on the deteriorating human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran
Statement delivered by
H.E. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Mr. Margus Tsahkna
on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden
23 January 2026
Mr President,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic countries. We welcome this special session.
We express our solidarity with the people of Iran in their courageous calls for promotion and protection of their human rights.
We strongly condemn the human rights violations committed by the Iranian authorities since 28 December 2025, including killings of protesters, use of violence, repression, arbitrary detention, and use of intimidation tactics.
The shutdown of Internet and communications services imposed on January 8, 2026, is extremely worrying and has provided cover for a crackdown on peaceful demonstrators and conceals grave human rights violations. This shutdown limits documentation of human rights violations, obstructs independent human rights monitoring and disrupts emergency and lifesaving services. It makes the work of the Special Rapporteur and the Fact-Finding Mission on Iran ever more important.
The killing of demonstrators must stop. We strongly urge Iranian authorities to adhere to Iran's international obligations and to immediately halt all forms of violence and repression against peaceful protesters. All individuals arbitrarily detained for exercising their human rights must be released immediately. Further, the threat of summary and arbitrary executions must end.
We call on Iran to fully uphold the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly without fear of reprisal and to ensure the right to access and disseminate information, including by restoring full access to the internet and telecommunication services for all.
All killings, violence against protesters, and other human rights violations must be investigated in line with international human rights law, and those responsible held to account.
We also support the adoption of the draft resolution and the renewal of the mandates of the independent international fact-finding mission and the Special Rapporteur.
Thank you!