The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, Ms. May Sato, speaking at a conference hosted by the Azerbaijan Human Rights Society, addressed the social and humanitarian consequences of the drying up of Lake Urmia, describing the lake’s current state as a clear example of ecological injustice in Iran.

“The critical condition of Lake Urmia is the result of ineffective management and a lack of transparency in environmental governance. Azerbaijani society is now facing the broad impacts of the lake’s desiccation, and the continuation of this process could lead to irreparable damage,” said May Sato.

In recent years, well-known groups, environmental activists, and members of the Azerbaijani national movement have sought in various ways to raise awareness about the disastrous consequences of Lake Urmia’s drying. Alongside warning government authorities, they have called for the restoration of the lake. Since 2011, peaceful gatherings by the Azerbaijani people and street protests aimed at pressuring the government to restore Lake Urmia have repeatedly been met with arrests, beatings, torture, and widespread repression by security forces and the Iranian government.