International lawsuit demands truth, accountability for war crimes perpetrators in Iran’s Minab School
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Description of incident
On Saturday morning, February 28, 2026, coinciding with the commencement of military attacks by the United States of America and Israel against Iran, the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in the city of Minab, Hormozgan province, was struck by several missiles.
At the time of the attack, female students were present in their classrooms, and as a result of the missile strikes, the school building was completely destroyed, and its roof collapsed on the students and teachers.
According to official statistics announced by local authorities:
• 165 people were killed, the vast majority of whom were girls and boys between the ages of seven and twelve;
• At least 95 others were injured.
Images and evidence released from the scene of the incident show the complete destruction of a civilian educational facility and the deaths of dozens of children.
Following the release of these images, military officials from the United States of America and Israel stated that they were unaware of a missile strike on a school. However, some media sources close to Israel claimed that the target was part of a military base.
However, investigations based on satellite imagery from previous years, field reports, video footage, and data released by various sources show that:
• The school building has been clearly and distinctly separate from any military facilities for years; • There is no indication of the use of this educational building for military purposes;
• The pattern of missile strikes and the nature of the destruction raise serious questions about the accuracy of targeting information and the observance of precautions in military operations.
Legal assessment
According to the fundamental rules of international humanitarian law, including the established principles in the Geneva Conventions and the customary laws of armed conflict, parties involved in any conflict are obliged to observe the following principles:
1. The principle of distinguishing between military objectives and civilian persons and objects;
2. The principle of proportionality, which prohibits any attack that would cause disproportionate civilian casualties;
3. The principle of precaution in attack, which requires the attacking party to take all feasible precautions to prevent or minimize civilian casualties.
The missile attack on an elementary school during school hours, where children were present, is a blatant violation of these fundamental principles. Even if there were a military target in the vicinity, an attack that results in the deaths of dozens of children constitutes an indiscriminate attack and, therefore, a war crime.
According to the rules of individual criminal responsibility in international law, responsibility for such crimes is not limited to the direct perpetrators of the attack, but also includes:
• Military commanders issuing orders;
• Political officials involved in decision-making;
• And any person who knowingly participated in the planning, ordering, or execution of this attack.
Requests
In light of all available evidence and information demonstrating a clear violation of international law and the commission of war crimes, the signatories of this lawsuit hereby request that competent international and national authorities, in accordance with their legal powers and jurisdictions, take the following actions:
A) The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court:
1. Initiate an urgent, independent, and impartial investigation within the jurisdiction of the Court regarding war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression related to the February 28, 2026 attack.
2. Collect and preserve all evidence related to this crime and proceed to summon and investigate suspected individuals at various levels of command and decision-making.
3. If responsibility is established, issue arrest warrants and indictments against the direct and indirect perpetrators of this attack.
B) The United Nations Security Council:
1. Exercise its powers to address threats to international peace and security and consider the possibility of referring the case to the International Criminal Court if necessary.
2. Take appropriate measures to establish a ceasefire and prevent recurrence of such attacks, including targeted sanctions against those responsible and countries that fuel violations of international law.
C) The United Nations Human Rights Council:
1. Establish a fact-finding commission or a special expert group to conduct an independent and documented investigation into human rights and humanitarian law violations resulting from this attack.
2. Submit detailed reports to international bodies and recommend legal and compensatory measures to support the rights of victims and their families.
D) The Secretary-General of the United Nations:
1. Exercise his powers to stop the illegal attacks by the United States and Israel against the territory of Iran, promptly follow up on this case, and ensure the cooperation of all United Nations bodies and offices in collecting evidence and supporting investigations.
2. Ensure coordination among international authorities to ensure accountability of perpetrators and support the rights of victims.
E) Prosecutors and national judicial authorities in countries with the principle of universal jurisdiction, including Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, Norway, the Netherlands, and other relevant judicial jurisdictions:
1. Initiate independent criminal investigations based on domestic laws relating to international crimes under the principle of universal jurisdiction, independently of the location of the crime or the nationality of the perpetrators.
2. Collect and examine evidence and conduct field and expert investigations if necessary.
3. Issue arrest warrants, indictments, and legal proceedings against those responsible, including military commanders, political officials, and other individuals involved in the planning and execution of this attack.
4. Ensure legal support and access for victims and their families to the truth, justice, and compensation.
It is emphasized that the deaths of over one hundred children in an elementary school, regardless of any political or military considerations, is one of the most shocking examples of violations of international humanitarian law.
Failure to investigate and hold accountable for such a crime not only tramples on the rights of victims but also undermines the credibility of the entire international legal system and the global community’s commitment to combating impunity.
Therefore, the signatories of this lawsuit urge all responsible international and national authorities, including the International Criminal Court, the UN Security Council, the UN Human Rights Council, and national courts and prosecutors with universal jurisdiction, to act with urgency and decisiveness to uncover the truth, achieve justice, and hold the perpetrators of this crime accountable.
Sincerely
A list of some of the international figures who signed the English version of this lawsuit is as follows:
1. Abdullah Gül, Former President of the Republic of Türkiye
2. Moncef Marzouki, Former President of Tunisia
3. Vuk Jeremić, Former President of UN General Assembly 2012-2013,
4. Muhammad El-Baradei, Former Director General of the IAEA, the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
(2005) Nobel Peace Prize in 2005 and former Vice President of Egypt
5. Javad Zarif, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of The Islamic Republic of Iran
6. Hamad bin Casim bin Cabir Âl Sani, Former Prime Minister of Qatar
7. Prof. Georges Abi Saab, Professor Emeritus, Graduate Institute Geneva and Cairo University;
Former Judge of the International Court of Justice, Egypt
8. Dr. Hans von Sponeck, Former UN Assistant Secretary-General, Faculty Member at Conflict
Research Center, University of Marburg, Germany
9. Jomo Kwame Sundaram, Former UN Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development;
Deputy Director UN FAO, Malaysia
10. Özgür Özel, The Chairman of CHP (Republican People’s Party), The Main Opposition Party,
Türkiye
11. Jeremy Corbyn, Member of Parliament (Islington North); Former Leader of the Labour Party
(2015–2020), United Kingdom
12. Bülent Arınç, Former Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, Former Deputy Prime
Minister
13. Cemil Çiçek, Former Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, Former Minister of
Justice
14. John Esposito, Professor of International Relations and Founding Director of the Center for
Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University; Member of High Level Group of the UN
Alliance of Civilizations
15. Haşim Kılıç, Former President of the Constitutional Court, Türkiye
16. Tawakkol Karman, Nobel Peace Laureate (2011); Human Rights Activist, Yemen
17. Naledi Pandor, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, South Africa
18. Rıza Türmen, Former Judge of the European Court of Human Rights; Former Member of
Parliament, Türkiye
19. Avi Shlaim, Emeritus Professor of International Relations, University of Oxford, UK;
20. Angela Y. Davis, Leading Human Rights Activist, Philosopher and Social Theorist, Berkeley, USA
21. Walid Joumblatt, Leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, Member of Lebanese Parliament,
Lebanon
22. Ali Babacan, Chairman of the Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA); Former Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Türkiye
23. Mahmut Arıkan, Chairman of the Saadet Party, Member of Turkish Parliament, Türkiye
24. Fatih Erbakan, Chairman of the New Welfare Party (Yeniden Refah Partisi), Türkiye
25. Gültekin Uysal, Chairman of the Democrat Party, Member of Parliament, Türkiye
26. Zekeriya Yapıcıoğlu, Chairman of HÜDA PAR, Türkiye
27. Doğu Perinçek, Chairman of Vatan Partisi, Türkiye
28. Craig Mokhaiber, International Human Rights Lawyer and Activist, Former Senior UN Human
Rights Official
29. Erdinç Sağkan, President of the Turkish Bar Association, Türkiye
30. Susan Abulhawa, Palestinian Novelist, Author of Mornings in Jenin, USA
31. Zülfü Livaneli, Prominent Musician, Author and Poet, Türkiye
32. Khawla Mattar, Director of the United Nations Information Center in Cairo, Former UN Deputy
Special Envoy for Syria, Bahrain
33. Walden Bello, Professor of Sociology, State University of New York at Binghamton; Former
Member of the House of Representatives, Philippines
34. Hilal Elver, UN Special Rapporteur on Right to Food (2014-2020), Türkiye
35. Paulo S. Pinheiro, Chair, UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian
Arab Republic, Geneva, Former Minister of Human Rights, Brazil
36. Meral Akşener, Former Leader of the Good Party (İYİ Party); Former Minister of Interior, Türkiye
37. Beşir Atalay, Former Minister of Interior, Türkiye
38. Victoria Brittain, Former Foreign Editor of the Guardian, Founder of the Annual Palestine
Festival of Literature, UK
39. Ayşe Buğra, Emeritus Professor Boğaziçi University, Türkiye
40. Abdullah Ahsan Professor of History International Islamic University Malaysia, USA
41. Ali Bardakoğlu, Former President of Directorate of Religious Affairs, Türkiye
42. Mehmet Görmez, Former President of Directorate of Religious Affairs, Türkiye
43. Mustafa Ceric, Grand Mufti Emeritus of Bosnia, President of the World Bosniak Congress,
Bosnia and Herzegovina
44. Joseph Camilleri, Emeritus Professor, La Trobe University, Co-Convener of SHAPE Melbourne,
Australia
45. Noura Erakat, Activist and Professor, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Co-founder of
Jadalliyah, USA;
46. Dr. Jan Oberg, Chairman of the Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research,
Sweden
47. Chandra Muzaffar President, International Movement for a Just World (JUST), Malaysia
48. Peter Ford, Former British Ambassador to Syria and Bahrain, Deputy Leader of Workers Party,
UK
49. John V. Whitbeck International Lawyer; Legal Advisor to Palestinian Leadership, Paris
50. Frei Fenniche, Former Senior Human Rights Officer/UN, OHCHR, Switzerland
51. Usman Bugaje, Professor, Former Adviser to the Vice President of Nigeria, Nigeria
52. Arlene Elizabeth Clemesha, Professor of Contemporary Arab History at the University of São
Paulo (USP), Brazil
53. Ömer Dinçer, Professor; Former Minister of National Education; Former President of Istanbul
Şehir University, Türkiye
54. Fethi Jarrah, Former Education Minister, Chairperson of the National Mechanism on Torture
Prevention, Tunisia
55. Feridun Bilgin, Former Minister of Transport, Maritime and Communication, Türkiye
56. Talal Asad, Retired Professor at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.
57. Penny Green, Professor of Law and Globalization, Director, International State Crime Initiative
Queen Mary University of London, UK
58. Nader Hashemi Professor, Director of the Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding,
Georgetown University, USA
59. Maung Zarni, Human Rights Activist, Member of the Board of Advisors of Genocide Watch, Cofounder
of Free Burma Coalition, Free Rohingya Coalition and Forces of Renewal Southeast Asia,
Myanmar;
60. Elmira Akhmetova Associate Professor of History and Civilizational Studies; Senior Research
Fellow at Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, Germany
61. Juan Cole Professor of History, University of Michigan, Former Editor of the International
Journal of Middle East Studies, USA
62. Assaf Kfoury Mathematician and Professor of Theoretical Computer Science, Boston University,
USA
63. Biljana Vankovska Professor and Head of the Global Changes Center, Cyril and Methodius
University, Skopje, Macedonia
64. Prof. Dr. Anis Ahmad (S.I.) Emeritus Professor and President Riphah International University
Islamabad, Pakistan
65. Lisa Hajjar Professor, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA
66. Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi, Former Member of Malaysia Parliament, Chairman of
Asia Forum for Peace and Development (AFPAD), Malaysia
67. Sami al-Arian, Director, Center for Islam and Global Affairs, Sabahattin Zaim University,
68. Kani Torun, Former Turkish Ambassador to Somalia, Member of Parliamentary Assembly of
Council of Europe,
69. Mehmet Emin Ekmen, Chairman of the Yeni Yol Parliamentary Group, Türkiye
70. Selçuk Özdağ, Deputy Chairman of the Yeni Yol Parliamentary Group, Türkiye
71. Bülent Kaya, Deputy Chairman of the Yeni Yol Parliamentary Group, Türkiye
72. Mehmet Emin Ekmen, Chairman of the Yeni Yol Parliamentary Group, Türkiye
73. Ibrahim M Zein, Professor of Islamic Studies, Qatar Foundation, Qatar
74. Engin Deniz Akarlı, Professor of History Emeritus, Brown University, Türkiye
75. Syed Arabi bin Syed Abdullah Idid, Former Rector, International Islamic University, Malaysia
76. Camilo Pérez-Bustillo National Taiwan University, Taiwan
77. Prof. Dato. Dr Mohammad Hashim Kamali Professor of Law, Founding CEO of the International
Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies, Malaysia/Afghanistan
78. Fajri Matahati Muhammadin Faculty of Law, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia
79. Mahmudul Hasan Professor, International Islamic University Malaysia/Bangladesh
80. Christos Giannou Honorary Lecturer and Former War Surgeon; Humanitarian Medical
Practitioner, Queen Mary University of London & American University of Beirut
81. Ayçin Kantoglu, Author, Türkiye;
82. Ermin Sinanovic, Center for Islam in the Contemporary World at Shenandoah University,
USA/Bosnia and Herzegovina
83. Dr. Sare Davutoğlu M.D, Medical Humanitarian Aid Volunteer
84. Ali Hashem, Journalist and Political Analyst; Al Jazeera Correspondent, Lebanon / Katar
85. Ana Stanič Lawyer, E&A Law Limited
86. Dr. Selma Dabbagh, British-Palestinian Novelist and Human Rights Lawyer, UK
87. Chowdhury Mueen Uddin, Former Director of Muslim Spiritual Care Provision, National Health
88. Irene Gendzier, Emeritus Professor of Political Science, Boston University
89. George Sabra, Signatory of the Damascus Declaration (2005), Former President of the Syrian
National Council, Syria;
90. Obaidul Hamid Obaid Hamid, Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics, School of Education,
University of Queensland, Australia
91. Khaled Abou El Fadl, Omar and Azmeralda Alfi Distinguished Professor of Law UCLA School of
Law, International Human Rights Expert
92. Prof. Radmila Nakarada Professor, Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade;
Spokesperson of the Yugoslav Truth and Reconciliation Committee, Serbia;
93. Fredrick S. Heffermehl, Lawyer and Author, Norway (?)
94. Marilyn Langlois Community Organizer and International Solidarity Activist, United States
95. Richard Rubenstein Professor of Conflict Resolution and Public Affairs, George Mason
University, United States
96. Raia Bpmeza Peace Activist and Civil Society Advocate, Romania
97. Diane Perlman Social Psychologist and Conflict Resolution Scholar, United States
98. Herbert Gebauer Peace Activist and Civil Society Advocate, Germany
99. Kamar Oniah Kamuruzaman, International Islamic University, Malaysia
100. Hatem Ete, Associate Professor, Chairman of Ankara Institute, Türkiye
101. Sevinç Özcan, Associate Professor, International Relations Department, Ankara
Yıldırım Beyazıt University
102. Zahide Tuba Kor, Author and Middle East Researcher, Türkiye
103. Kim Phar Beng, Founder and CEO of Strategic Pan Pacific Arena, Malaysia
104. Meymune Topçu, Asst. Prof Psychology Departmet of MEF University, Conducting
Research on Collective Memory of The Genocide in Gaza
105. Ahmet Davutoğlu, Former Prime Minister of Türkiye,
106. Richard Falk, UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian
Territories Occupied since 1967 (2008-2014), International Law Emeritus Professor, Princeton
University