Doha, March 17 (QNA) - The Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions (ANNHRI) convened Tuesday 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.

They emphasized the importance of enhancing affected states' civilian protection measures in accordance with international standards, developing national emergency plans to respond to missile or cross-border attacks, providing psychological and social support to affected populations, ensuring access to essential services, and streamlining national institutions' access to field information and data to guarantee accurate and transparent documentation of violations.

As such, HE Chairman of the National Institution for Human Rights in the Kingdom of Bahrain and current Chairperson of the Arab Network, Engineer Ali Ahmed Al Derazi, highlighted the Network's profound concern over the recent military escalation in the region, which included missile attacks targeting several Arab nations, including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, and Iraq, resulting in damage to residential areas and civilian casualties and injuries from missile debris.

Al Derazi affirmed that these attacks pose a direct threat to civilian security and community stability, representing an unequivocal violation of international law principles, particularly international humanitarian rules-based order prohibiting targeting civilians and civilian objects, and reaffirming the absolute prohibition on the use of force or threat thereof, which is antithetical to the United Nations Charter.

He praised the diplomatic efforts undertaken by Arab states in the UN Security Council to condemn these attacks and demand their immediate cessation, emphasizing respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the protection of vital international maritime routes, while expressing the solidarity of ANNHRI with affected Arab states.

ANNHRI stressed the criticality of unifying Arab postures against any threat to peoples' security or territorial integrity, while simultaneously emphasizing adherence to international law and respect for human rights in all measures taken to protect civilians and preserve security and stability.

For his part, HE NHRC Vice Chairman Dr. Mohammed bin Saif Al Kuwari noted that the convening of this assembly comes under exceptionally complex circumstances, putting human rights institutions to a genuine test in addressing challenges arising from Iranian aggressive attacks targeting several Arab states, in flagrant violation of the UN Charter and its mandatory rules, foremost among them the absolute prohibition on the use of force, constituting a direct threat to international peace and security, and entailing widespread and serious violations.

He confirmed that these attacks represent full-scale aggression, devoid of ethical or legal justification, as they cannot be grounded in the right of self-defense and fall outside measures sanctioned by international legitimacy.

Al Kuwari further indicated that, in addition to violations of national sovereignty, these attacks constitute a series of crimes resulting from the methodical targeting of critical infrastructure, including energy facilities, airports, water stations, and other civilian sites under international protection, leading to casualties and violations of fundamental rights including the right to health, personal security, and freedom of movement, as well as threats to the right to development and the right to a safe and healthy environment.

He noted that the NHRC has established a crisis cell to receive complaints and reports, and to monitor and document violations arising from the attacks.

The NHRC also condemned the deliberate targeting of critical civilian infrastructure, praising the rapid response of national authorities through measures including the activation of early warning systems and the adoption of comprehensive plans to mitigate consequences, thereby protecting lives and ensuring the continuity of vital services.

The Committee warned of the risks posed by ongoing cross-border attacks in undermining human rights, exacerbating the suffering of women, children, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups amid impeded access to humanitarian aid and relief for millions affected by armed conflicts globally, and imperiling global food security due to impacts on energy sources and restrictions on air and maritime navigation.

  Meanwhile, HE Secretary-General of the ANNHRI, Sultan bin Hassan Al Jamali, highlighted the escalation of serious violations in the Arab region resulting from military assaults affecting several states, posing a direct threat to civilians and targeting civilian objects.

He noted that, given these developments, there is an urgent need for the Arab Network to play a more effective role in unifying human rights positions and coordinating diplomatic efforts at regional and international levels.

Director of the UN Training and Documentation Center for Southwest Asia and the Arab Region, Dr. Abeer Al Khraisha, stressed that the worsening crisis in the region has caused serious damage and economic and environmental fallout globally, undermined regional peace and stability, and compromised the integrity of mediation and negotiation processes traditionally pursued by states in the region.

She added that the impact of the crisis has increasingly affected civilians due to attacks on residential areas, essential services, and civilian infrastructure, including health facilities, educational institutions, water networks, and energy facilities, directly affecting the lives of populations in affected nations. (QNA)