United Nations Human Rights Council 

61st Regular Session

Urgent Debate

Oral statement of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) in the Urgent Debate on  “Protection of Children and Educational Institutions in International Armed Conflicts: The Aerial Attacks on Shajareh Tayyebeh Girls’ School in Minab, Iran, as a Grave Breach of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law”

Mr President,

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) condemns the unlawful attack on the Minab primary school in Iran, which killed at least 175 people, mainly girls. Direct attacks against civilian objects are strictly prohibited, as is the failure to take precautions to protect civilians and civilian objects. The strike must be investigated as a potential war crime.

 This attack is part of a pattern of unlawful attacks against civilian objects by the parties to the conflict.  

 The ICJ reiterates its call on all parties to the ongoing conflict to adhere to international law, including the principles of distinction, precaution, and proportionality. 

 The ICJ also reiterates its call on this Council to condemn and address all violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law committed by all parties to this conflict. Maintaining the integrity and credibility of this Council requires no less. 

As stressed by the Chair of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, the Iranian people are “caught between a large-scale military campaign by two countries, the US and Israel, and ongoing repression by their own government in Iran”.  

In this context, it is of utmost importance that all relevant HRC mechanisms, including the FFM and the Special Rapporteur on Iran, are able to pursue their critical work to document human rights violations and abuses committed in Iran, especially those amounting to crimes under international law, with the view to contribute to accountability for such crimes and States must cooperate fully with these mechanisms. 

I thank you.

Statement delivered by: Sandra Epal-Ratjen – International Advocacy Director – ICJ

For more information, contact: Sandra.epal@icj.org

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You can download the statement here.