Why Iranian human rights groups remain silent as the Israeli-Iranian conflict escalates Global Voices

A ghost haunts Iran – threat of full-fledged war with Israelcausing fear of devastation, reminiscent of Gaza and Lebanon. As tensions escalate, millions of Iranians face the risk of serious harm, directly or indirectly. Yet, surprisingly, even though most Iranian human rights and civil society organizations are based outside the country, particularly in the West, due to the brutal repression of the Islamic Republic, most remain silent, offering no statements, analysis or even discussion of conflict escalation.

To explore the reasons for this silence, Global Voices interviewed veteran human rights activists who shared their views on the complex factors at play.

Decades of work

Iranian human rights organizations in exile have spent decades raising awareness on political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, documenting human rights violations and campaigns against state-sanctioned executions and discrimination affecting women, minorities and journalists. They also have worked closely together with the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Civil society groups still based in Iran, such as the Iranian Bar Association, face enormous pressure and restrictions. The authorities of the Islamic Republic even closed the Imam Ali People’s Student Relief Society, a charity that worked to fight poverty and help vulnerable children. Aauthorities also jailed prominent activists such as a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Narges Mohammadi who was recently hospitalized with serious health problems.

Mohammadi, who believes in the need for regime change in Iranrecently released an anti-war message: “All those responsible for war are not only condemned by the peoples of the lands and times which they devastate, but also forever disgraced and ostracized in the annals of human history.”

Funding matters

But despite these efforts, some Iranian activists and citizens voiced growing concerns about transparency and dependence on funding. These criticisms suggest that some organizations abroad may prioritize certain issues over others due to the influence of funding sources, risking the appearance that they operate within discriminatory boundaries that fluctuate depending on funder programs.

Nazila Golestan, French media producer and speaker of a human rights and political organization HamAva, Global Voices reports via WhatsApp that “Sources of funding greatly influence the positions of organizations, often undermining their perceived neutrality.”

Working with human rights organizations in Iran and France, she noticed that some groupsSilence on war reflects reluctance to alienate donors. Golestan asserts What “The mission of any true human rights organization should include promoting peace and diplomacy, since conflicts primarily affect civilians.”

Matt Forouzandi, The Iranian-Canadian queer activist and interdisciplinary artist agrees. “Sources of funding and associated policy agendas are critical in shaping the positions of these organizations, which often results in actions consistent with donor expectations rather than a true commitment to human rights,” he told Global Voices.

Forouzandi, one of the voices of Iran’s LGBTQ+ community in exile, adds: that “these trends are increasingly frustrating Iranian civil society and activists. He advocates new, grassroots-oriented models to circumvent current problems and promote more effective protection of human rights.”

Silence amid escalating conflict

The current silence from human rights groups is especially remarkable given the humanitarian stakes. While meaning of existence of these organizations is to call on the Iranian state to respect Universal Declaration of Human RightsA full-scale conflict between Iran and Israel could threaten the fundamental rights of the Iranian people, including, but not limited to, the right to life, the right to an adequate standard of living, and the right to education.

This is clearly illustrated by the ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip, where UNICEF reports that “about 9 out of 10 of Gaza’s population are estimated to be internally displaced. Half of them are children. They do not have sufficient access to water, food, fuel and medicine.” Reportedly To date, thousands of children have been killed or injured in the conflict.

Moreover, the war in Lebanon also highlights the profound impact of such conflicts on civilian populations, where: in accordance with UNICEF, “the conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands of children and their families.”

Risk of alienation

Kamran Ashtrayartist and executive director based in the Netherlands Arse Sevom Civil society NGO in Iran warns in email to Global Voices that “organizations risk alienating the very communities they seek to represent if they selectively address human rights violations.”

He claims that “failure to advocate for peace may give the impression that these organizations are more focused on external agendas than on the genuine concerns of the Iranian people. Such selectivity could undermine the credibility of these groups both within Iran and on the world stage.”

According to Ashtari“A balanced approach that condemns internal abuses by the Iranian regime and counters escalation that threatens civilians will promote both independence and credibility.”

When these activists talk about funds, the risk of alienating the Iranian people and pleasing donors, there are huge funding savings at stake, largely supported by the US State Department, which dedicated millions of dollars for Iranian civil society initiatives, including approximately $30 million initially earmarked to support civil society.

This funding structure expanded significantlyhowever, US State Department financial support for VPN (anti-filtering) tools alone will increase from US$5 million in 2019 to over US$30 million in 2024.

Key Point

Silence has plagued Iranian human rights organizations regarding this looming conflict and raised critical questions about their priorities, independence and future direction.

As tensions between Israel and Iran escalate, human rights organizations are facing a critical juncture that requires them to consider whether neutrality is consistent with their fundamental mission.

This crisis provides an opportunity to re-evaluate their goals and strategies, echoing the German theologian’s reminder. Dietrich Bonhoeffer who fought against silence and the Nazi regime and sacrificed his life: “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil… Not to act is to act.” How these organizations respond may ultimately determine the future of human rights advocacy in Iran and the region as a whole.