UN Experts Urge Iran to End Alleged Targeting of Baloch and Kurdish Minorities

​GENEVA, August 6, 2026 — United Nations human rights experts have urged Iran to end what they described as escalating arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, torture and executions targeting ethnic minorities, particularly Baloch and Kurdish communities.

According to the experts, at least 24 Baloch and 22 Kurdish individuals have been executed so far this year, while many others are reportedly at imminent risk of execution.

“Iran’s ethnic minorities must be able to live in safety and dignity, free from discrimination,” the experts said.

They warned that minorities continue to be targeted during periods of political and social unrest through narratives portraying them as threats to national security. They also raised concerns about alleged threats and surveillance against Baloch and Kurdish individuals living outside Iran.

The experts reported a significant increase in arbitrary arrests and what they described as politically motivated sentences, often involving broadly defined national security charges.

Iranian authorities have rejected allegations surrounding their security measures and attributed recent violence to “terrorist acts” allegedly orchestrated by the United States and Israel.

The UN experts called on Iran to end discriminatory practices and ensure the fundamental rights, safety and dignity of ethnic minorities.

Source: AFP / UN Human Rights Experts