The General Assembly of the Arab Network of National Human Rights Institutions adopted a set of urgent human rights recommendations amid regional tensions and developments resulting from Iranian military attacks targeting several Arab countries.
This came during its 26th extraordinary General Assembly held its meeting, in conjunction with the Arab Human Rights Day.
Participants said the attacks posed a direct threat to civilian lives and targeted civilian infrastructure, constituting a clear violation of international humanitarian law.
Heads and representatives of Arab national human rights institutions stressed the importance of strengthening the readiness of these institutions to address the consequences of conflicts and military attacks. This includes developing monitoring and documentation mechanisms to record violations and their impact on civilians, preparing periodic reports to be submitted to relevant international mechanisms, and establishing rapid-response frameworks to deal with cross-border attacks.
Participants also called for enhancing co-operation and the exchange of expertise among Arab national institutions in the field of civilian protection during crises.
The meeting emphasised the co-ordinating role of the Arab Network of National Human Rights Institutions in unifying the Arab human rights position regarding regional developments. It called on the international community to assume its responsibilities by launching an independent investigation by the United Nations into the attacks that targeted Gulf and Arab countries and assessing their compatibility with international law.
The participants also called for convening a special session of the United Nations Human Rights Council to discuss ways to protect civilians in the Arab region, halt military escalation, return to diplomatic pathways, and activate international accountability mechanisms to ensure that perpetrators are not granted impunity.
Recommendations directed to the affected states included strengthening national measures to protect civilians in accordance with international standards, developing emergency and humanitarian response plans, providing psychological and social support to those affected, and ensuring the continuity of essential services.
The recommendations also called for facilitating access for national human rights institutions to field information to ensure accurate and transparent documentation of violations.
The meeting concluded that the recent military attacks represent a serious threat to civilian lives and regional peace, stressing that protecting civilians is a shared responsibility requiring broad Arab and international co-ordination.
Participants also emphasised the importance of strengthening international accountability to prevent further violations and placing humanitarian and human rights considerations at the forefront of regional and international responses.
At the conclusion of the meeting, moderated by Sultan bin Hassan Al Jammali, secretary-general of the network, participants stressed that the current stage requires a unified Arab position that enhances civilian protection and supports international assistance mechanisms. They underscored the legal and moral responsibilities of national human rights institutions and the network’s role in co-ordinating efforts and exchanging expertise among its members.
The meeting sessions included legal and human rights presentations addressing the international framework governing the use of force and the protection of civilians, as well as the obligations of states under the United Nations Charter and international humanitarian law.
Participants also discussed the human rights and humanitarian implications of the military attacks and their impact on human security and regional stability, in addition to reviewing the role of national human rights institutions in monitoring, documenting violations, preparing reports, and referring cases to relevant international bodies.
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