This week, Iranians fight for peace. UN Investigators call on Venezuela to release all political prisoners. UN envoy leads efforts toward peace in Yemen.
Iranians Fight for Peace
After 47 years of living under a brutal regime that has committed numerous human rights violations, Iranians are once again demanding regime change and fighting to live in peace.
The latest round of protests, which many commentators argue have evolved into a full-on revolution, began on December 28, 2025, and continue to this day. While the protests were initially over the country’s plunging currency, Iranians are now expressing anger at the regime’s human rights abuses and restrictions on freedom.
Due to the regime blacking out the internet, the numbers of people killed in protests still isn’t entirely clear. While the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported on January 15 that the crackdown on demonstrations had killed killed at least 2,637, some estimates are much higher. The media outlet Iran International reported on January 13 that it estimated that at least 12,000 were killed, based on eyewitness testimonies and reviews of several sources. Meanwhile, one source inside Iran told CBS that possibly as many as 20,000 have been killed.
It remains to be seen whether Iranians will soon be able to experience peace in their country.
UN Investigators Call on Venezuela to Release All Political Prisoners
The United States’ capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro on January 3, 2026, has gripped the world. Venezuela experienced repression and economic and political instability under Maduro’s rule, and questions remain on how the country will move forward. Maduro’s Vice President, Delcy Rodriguez, is now serving as Venezuela’s interim leader.
One issue is the release of political prisoners. While Venezuela’s top lawmaker, Jorge Rodriguez, has said that over 400 people had been freed from prison, the UN Venezuela’s Fact Finding Mission reported on January 12 that only around 50 had been released out of 800 prisoners.
The UN said the partial release failed to meet the government’s international human rights obligations to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of all those arbitrarily detained.
UN Envoy Leads Efforts Toward Peace in Yemen
UN envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg is leading efforts toward peace in the country. Grundberg held talks in Saudi Arabia on January 15, which he said were part of his ongoing engagement with Yemeni, regional, and international stakeholders.
In Riyadh, Grundberg met with Yemeni Prime Minister Salem bin Buriek on to discuss development and economic challenges in Yemen.
Grundberg also met with the Yemeni government’s Committee for Prisoners and Detainees and representatives of the Saudi-led coalition supporting the Yemeni government. He discussed outcomes of recent negotiations between Yemen’s warring parties and ongoing efforts to agree on conflict-detainees to be released in the next phase.
The talks came a day after he shared insights from his discussions in Egypt, Oman, and Saudi Arabia with the UN’s 15-member security council, warning that, “Instability is felt first in the economy,” through sudden price surges, delayed salaries, and basic services breaking down. He urged that economic stabilization is “critical for creating conditions conducive to peace.”
He also warned that remains dangerously low, exposing children to preventable diseases, such as measles, polio and cholera.
Grundberg closed the Security Council meeting by urging the Security Council to press for the immediate release of all detained UN and humanitarian personnel, substantially increase funding for Yemen’s worsening crisis, and preserve the 15-member organ’s unity by remaining pragmatic, patient and firm in upholding humanitarian principles.
Keywords: Iran, Iran revolution, protests, Venezuela, Yemen, peace, conflict, conflict resolution
Tara Abhasakun
Tara Abhasakun is Peace News Network (PNN)'s managing editor. She is journalist based in Christchurch, New Zealand, and formerly in Bangkok, Thailand. She has reported on a range of human rights issues involving youth protests in Thailand, as well as arts and culture. Tara's work has appeared in several outlets, including Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.
