Human rights organisations and civil society groups have alleged that Iranian regime used chemical substances against civilians to crack down on protests. However, they did not specify what kind of chemical agent was used by the security forces.
Citing eyewitness testimony, medical evaluations and independent reporting, they have urged member states of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to invoke Article IX of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
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"Victims report symptoms far exceeding ordinary tear gas exposure, including respiratory distress, neurological impairment, cardiovascular instability, persistent headaches, dizziness, and long-term systemic dysfunction," the statement by the coalition of rights groups said. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi is one of the signatories of the statement.
The clinical patterns observed in the affected civilians were indicative of exposure to chemical agents, according to medical professionals who treated the victims.
"Continued delay enables further harm, the destruction of evidence, and impunity," the statement warned the international community.
Thousands were killed and injured in the violent crackdown on protests across Iran on January 8 and 9.
The rights groups have urged OPCW member states to start with a formal request for clarification from Iran. They also called for a challenge inspection and deploy an independent expert mission to carry out on-site inspections.
