ANNHRI discusses Iranian attacks on Arab nations

Doha, Qatar: The Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions (ANNHRI) convened yesterday its urgent General Assembly at its headquarters in Do...

Doha, Qatar: The Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions (ANNHRI) convened yesterday its urgent General Assembly at its headquarters in Doha on the Iranian attacks on the Arab nations: human rights reading in violating the absolute ban on the use of force.

The meeting, held virtually, came at the request of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) in the State of Qatar, during which the participants stressed that the Iranian attacks are an outright breach of the United Nations Charter and its mandatory rules, foremost among them the absolute prohibition on the use of force, which constitutes a threat to international peace and security.

They asserted the importance of expanding cooperation among Arab national institutions to exchange information and expertise in the protection of civilians during crises, as well as launching awareness campaigns on civilian rights during conflicts, community safety guidance, and strengthening a culture of prevention.

The participants underlined the necessity of unifying the Arab human rights stance regarding attacks targeting civilians in the region. They also stressed effectuating human rights diplomacy through engagement with the United Nations and international organizations to ramp up pressure for accountability, calling on the UN to open an independent investigation into attacks on Arab states and to assess their compliance with international law, and urging the Human Rights Council to convene a special session on civilian protection in the Arab region.

The conferees further called for the immediate cessation of military escalation and a return to diplomatic paths to safeguard civilian security and regional stability, and for advancing international accountability mechanisms to ensure that no party escapes punishment.