Since June 13, 2025, Iran has witnessed a sharp escalation in human rights abuses, as authorities intensify repression under the pretext of national security during a period of heightened external threat.

Instead of responding to Israel’s military aggression through lawful and constructive means, the Iranian government has resorted to widespread arrests, intimidation, and severe curtailment of civil liberties. The result is a deepening human rights crisis, compounding the suffering of ordinary Iranians already reeling from the devastating consequences of war.

In less than two weeks, Israel’s military operations against Iran have caused extensive loss of life and destruction. Official data compiled by Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) and corroborated by local sources indicate that at least 5,665 individuals have been affected. This figure includes 1,190 confirmed fatalities and 4,475 injuries, with casualties reported across 28 provinces. The Israeli airstrikes have not only targeted military installations but have also inflicted severe damage on civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, relief centers, and residential areas, further endangering the lives of the population.

These attacks have created a climate of fear and uncertainty, but rather than focusing on protecting civilians or addressing the humanitarian fallout, Iranian authorities have used the situation to justify a sweeping crackdown on dissent.

Mass Arrests: Silencing Voices Under the Guise of Security

Since the outbreak of hostilities on June 13, Iranian security forces have arrested large numbers of people on various charges, many of them vague or politically motivated. While official state media has acknowledged the detention of over 700 individuals on charges of “espionage for Israel,” independent lawyers, activists, and human rights organizations estimate the real figure exceeds 1,500. Many of those detained are not involved in any form of espionage or subversion. Instead, they include ordinary citizens, human rights defenders, civil society activists, members of ethnic and religious minorities, and Afghan residents.

The arrests have been carried out through aggressive measures, including the widespread use of checkpoints where security personnel inspect personal devices such as mobile phones and laptops. Detainees have often been accused on the basis of possessing photographs of bombed sites, articles critical of government policy, or materials published by foreign media outlets. In numerous cases, security forces have raided homes in the dead of night, detaining individuals without presenting warrants or formal charges.

A lawyer based in Tehran, speaking to WJWC, revealed that some of those detained had no political affiliations whatsoever. They had merely been filming the destruction caused by Israeli airstrikes out of curiosity. Yet, they have been treated as enemies of the state, held incommunicado, and denied access to legal representation or contact with their families.

Systematic Violations of Due Process and the Right to a Fair Trial

The Iranian government’s response to the current crisis has been marked by gross violations of due process. In many instances, detainees have been denied their right to counsel and subjected to incommunicado detention, in direct violation of both Iranian law and Iran’s obligations under international human rights treaties. This practice exposes detainees to a high risk of torture and ill-treatment, as security forces seek to extract confessions under duress.

Statements obtained through coercion frequently form the basis of prosecution in Iran’s judicial system. Courts often rely on these forced confessions, obtained without the presence of legal counsel, to impose harsh sentences, including long-term imprisonment and, in some cases, capital punishment. These practices starkly contravene Iran’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which the country has been a state party since 1975.

The Human Rights News Agency (HRANA) reports that between June 13 and June 26 alone, at least 1,596 individuals were arrested. Of these, 301 were detained for political reasons or their social media activity, while 1,295 face charges linked to national security. The list of accusations includes “publishing provocative content,” “defaming the political system,” “spreading propaganda for Israel,” and “insulting martyrs.” A review of available case files suggests that around 5% of arrests were linked to accusations of supporting Israel through published material, and 3% related to allegedly misleading public opinion.

Harassment of Families and Legal Maneuvering to Expand Repression

Iranian authorities have also extended their campaign of repression to the families of political dissidents living abroad. Intelligence agencies, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Intelligence Unit and the Ministry of Intelligence, have summoned and interrogated relatives of Kurdish activists and other dissidents. Families have been threatened and pressured to force their loved ones abroad to cease their activism. In one chilling incident reported to WJWC, the family of an activist residing in Europe was warned that any perceived act against the Islamic Republic would result in severe reprisals, with officials ominously stating, “Anything can happen to you.”

On June 23, in a further sign of escalating repression, the Iranian parliament passed an emergency bill amending the espionage law. The amendment grants security forces and courts broader discretion to prosecute those accused of collaborating with foreign powers. A judiciary spokesperson made clear that this move was aimed at enabling the authorities to circumvent what they viewed as legal constraints in prosecuting individuals arrested during the current crisis.

The Tragedy of Evin Prison: A Symbol of Iran’s Human Rights Failures

The human rights catastrophe unfolding in Iran is further underscored by the tragedy at Tehran’s Evin Prison. On June 23, Israeli airstrikes hit the prison, killing at least 71 people and causing severe damage to critical sections, including the women’s wing, the infirmary, and the prosecutor’s office. Following the attack, dozens of prisoners were transferred from the facility, and their whereabouts remain unknown.

Lawyers and families have been left without information, as access to the prison and associated courts has been blocked. As one lawyer described to WJWC, “We are unable to enter the court building. No one is answering questions. The entire process of legal defense has been paralyzed.”

Iran’s legal obligations under the ICCPR are clear: the state must ensure humane treatment of detainees at all times, and torture is absolutely prohibited under any circumstances. Yet the actions of the Iranian authorities during this crisis have systematically violated these obligations.

WJWC’s Calls to Action

In light of these grave and ongoing violations, Women Journalists Without Chains calls on the Iranian authorities to:

·         Publicly disclose the names, locations, and legal status of all those detained since June 13, and immediately allow their families and lawyers access to them.

·         Release without delay all individuals detained solely for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association.

·         Guarantee fair trial rights in accordance with international standards, including the right to legal counsel, and cease the use of confessions obtained under duress as evidence in court proceedings.

·         End all practices of torture and ill-treatment in detention centers and prisons, and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

·         Authorize an independent and transparent investigation into the attack on Evin Prison and provide full disclosure on the fate of all prisoners who were transferred following the airstrike.

·         Fulfill all obligations under international human rights instruments to which Iran is a party, including the ICCPR.

Furthermore, WJWC urges the international community, including the United Nations, governments, and global human rights organizations, to:

·         Intensify diplomatic and economic pressure on the Iranian authorities to halt the ongoing crackdown and to uphold international human rights standards.

·         Ensure that the human rights situation in Iran is a central component of any future negotiations related to Iran’s nuclear program and regional policies.

·         Send independent observers to Iran to monitor the situation, document abuses, and provide assistance to victims and their families.

·         Offer enhanced protection and support to Iranian human rights defenders, journalists, and lawyers who are at heightened risk due to their work.

·         Issue unequivocal statements condemning the human rights violations taking place in Iran and demanding concrete action to end them.

The situation in Iran today represents not only a profound human rights emergency for its people but also a critical test for the international community’s commitment to defending universal values and the rule of law. The world must not look away.