Civilians Must Be Protected Across the Middle East

March 5, 2026 — The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) is gravely concerned about the safety of civilians as military attacks on civilian areas throughout the region intensify.

We call on all parties to refrain from attacking residential areas, hospitals, emergency services, public utilities, and other essential civilian infrastructure, and to do everything possible to protect civilian lives in all of the countries affected by the ongoing conflict.

We further call on all parties to refrain from any actions that could endanger the safety of vulnerable prisoners and detainees in Iran.

We remind all parties to the conflict that many detainees in Iran are not held in official detention facilities, but rather in local government, security, and police centers that have come under attack. In addition, thousands of forcibly disappeared protesters held in unidentified “black box” detention facilities are especially at risk of coming under attack.

We also remind all parties to the conflict of the growing number of displaced persons, with huge numbers reportedly fleeing cities coming under attack across the region. There should be safe corridors for people evacuating cities, and access to shelter, food, water, and medical care must be maintained for displaced people.

Access to food, water, and medical care must also be maintained in all prisons and detention centers. There are alarming reports of the lack of food and water in prisons in Iran.

Especially vulnerable groups, including not only prisoners and detainees, but also children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and the displaced, must be in protected zones.

Restoration of internet access in Iran must be a priority for the international community. The Iranian authorities’ internet shutdown means civilians cannot access critical safety information, emergency services, or evacuation orders, and Iranians cannot find loved ones who are in state custody—an especially difficult task given that the Iranian authorities have been transferring prisoners.

It also raises the risk of serious abuse or secret executions of prisoners and detainees by judicial and prison authorities, especially given the Iranian Judiciary Chief’s recent statement that “individuals who cooperate with the enemy in any manner will be considered the enemy.” CHRI is extraordinarily concerned about the potential for retaliatory violence by Iranian authorities against prisoners and detainees.

CHRI urges all parties to the conflict to adhere to international humanitarian law, most notably the Geneva Convention of 1949 and additional protocols, which establish clear protections for civilians during armed conflict, prohibiting the targeting of civilians, indiscriminate attacks, and the use of weapons or tactics that cause disproportionate harm to civilian populations.