Manama: The 26th extraordinary General Assembly of the Arab Network of National Human Rights Institutions concluded its meeting on Monday evening, held in conjunction with the Arab Human Rights Day, with a set of urgent human rights recommendations amid regional tensions and developments resulting from Iranian military attacks targeting several Arab countries.
According to Bahrain News Agency, 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 cooperation and the exchange of expertise among Arab national institutions in the field of civilian protection during crises. The meeting emphasised the coordinating 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 coordination. 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 coordinating 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.
The meeting issued a joint analytical paper containing a legal and human rights assessment of recent developments, along with practical recommendations to strengthen civilian protection and institutional preparedness. It also included proposals to develop regional cooperation among national human rights institutions in support of international accountability and stronger Arab human rights coordination.
The extraordinary meeting was held in light of critical regional developments related to what the Network described as Iranian attacks on Arab states, which participants said constitute a violation of the absolute prohibition on the use of force stipulated in the United Nations Charter. Speakers stressed that these attacks represent a serious breach of international law and have resulted in significant humanitarian and security consequences, which prompted the convening of the meeting to assess the situation from legal and human rights perspectives and discuss mechanisms to address it and strengthen civilian protection.
The meeting was convened in line with the Network's statute and its regional role in supporting and protecting human rights, monitoring violations, and coordinating joint Arab efforts to address urgent challenges in a way that contributes to enhancing security and stability in the Arab region.