June 9, 2026
To: The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, international fact-finding bodies, and organizations responsible for human rights and international humanitarian law
We, the undersigned, express our deep concern regarding reports of an airstrike on the Pasteur Institute of Iran and call upon the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to examine this incident within the framework of international humanitarian law and the principle of protecting civilian health infrastructure.
According to published reports, images, witness accounts, and media coverage, the attack caused extensive damage to research centers, facilities, and laboratories involved in infectious disease surveillance, epidemiological monitoring, vaccine research and production, national reference laboratory services, and responses to public health emergencies.
With a history spanning more than a century, the Pasteur Institute of Iran is one of the most important scientific and public health institutions in Iran and the region. It has long served as a cornerstone of the country's scientific and health response to public health emergencies. Throughout its history, the Institute has played a fundamental role in identifying, monitoring, and combating diseases such as cholera, rabies, tuberculosis, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, measles, and COVID-19.
The Pasteur Institute of Iran is not merely a national research center. It is also part of the international Pasteur Institute network and an important hub for scientific and public health cooperation in the region. Any serious damage to its research, laboratory, and surveillance capacities could have consequences extending beyond Iran's borders, affecting scientific collaboration, disease-control programs, and preparedness for future health crises.
If reports that this civilian institution was deliberately targeted are accurate, the attack may constitute a violation of fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction between military and civilian objects, proportionality, and the protection of critical civilian infrastructure.
Damage to laboratories and infectious disease surveillance centers is not solely a domestic or national concern. The consequences of such actions may extend beyond Iran and threaten regional and global health security. Disrupting infrastructure essential for the detection, tracking, and containment of infectious diseases endangers civilian lives and weakens society's ability to respond effectively to public health emergencies.
Under international humanitarian law, civilian property and facilities are entitled to special protection unless and for such time as they are used for military purposes. Scientific, research, and public health institutions that play a direct role in protecting public health form part of a society's critical civilian infrastructure and should not be subjected to attack.
Therefore, we respectfully call upon the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to:
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Collect and verify available evidence relating to the reported attack on the Pasteur Institute of Iran, including images, reports, and witness testimony;
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Determine whether, if substantiated, this incident could fall within the category of crimes prosecutable under the Rome Statute;
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Support the establishment of an independent, impartial, and international mechanism to investigate and establish the facts surrounding the incident;
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Assess the attack from a legal perspective in light of the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, particularly distinction, proportionality, and the protection of civilian infrastructure;
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Evaluate the humanitarian, scientific, and public health consequences resulting from the destruction of infectious disease laboratories and health surveillance systems;
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Encourage international health organizations, independent experts, human rights organizations, and forensic institutions to provide specialized assessments regarding the full scope and implications of the incident.
We further request that, to the greatest extent possible, the following forms of evidence be examined during any investigation: satellite imagery of the site and surrounding area; testimony from eyewitnesses and scientific and medical personnel; credible media reports; technical and forensic assessments; reports from international health organizations; independent legal analyses; and scientific evaluations of the potential impact of the attack on the health and well-being of people in Iran, the region, and the wider world.
The protection of civilian scientific, medical, and public health institutions is a fundamental principle of international humanitarian law. Even during armed conflict, infrastructure essential to disease detection, epidemic surveillance, vaccine development and production, and the protection of civilian lives must be safeguarded from attack, destruction, and disruption.
In today's interconnected world, infectious disease surveillance systems form part of a global network for early warning and response to public health threats. Damage to such facilities can undermine the capacity to detect and contain emerging and re-emerging diseases, increasing risks not only for one country but for the international community as a whole.
We, the undersigned, affirm that no government or military force has the right to treat critical health infrastructure as a military target or to destroy a society's capacity to protect civilian lives. We therefore call upon the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to assess whether it has the jurisdiction and authority to examine this matter within the scope of its mandate, and to ensure that attacks on civilian scientific and medical institutions do not escape legal and international scrutiny.
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