Minab School Attack Survivor Delivers Video Address to UN Human Rights Council

WANA (Jun 18) – A video message from Fatemeh Zahra Sheikh-Abadi, a student survivor of the Shajareh Tayyebeh school attack in Minab, was broadcast today at the 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council during a panel dedicated to the “Right to Education.” Her address offered a poignant narrative of a child whose only wishes were to attend school, learn, and play with her friends.

“I am Fatemeh Zahra Sheikh-Abadi, a student from the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab,” she stated in the recorded address. “I stand here today to tell my story—the story of a child who, like any other child, wanted to go to school, study, and play alongside her friends.”

Recalling the events of February 28, Sheikh-Abadi noted that the day had begun normally. She described grabbing her backpack, heading to school, and sharing happy moments with her classmates before the facility was suddenly targeted in an attack, forcing her to witness scenes that no child should ever have to experience.

Addressing the representatives of the UN Human Rights Council member states, the young survivor reminded the delegation that the United Nations bears the core responsibility for protecting children’s rights. She urged the council to listen to the voices of the children of Minab and hold those responsible for the tragedy accountable.

“As a survivor of the Minab school attack, I ask the state representatives to hear the voices of the children of Minab, stand by our side, and hold the United States and Israel accountable,” she emphasized.

Following the broadcast of her message, the Human Rights Council chamber observed a 30-second period of silence. The gesture was held to honor the survivors and victims of the Minab school attack, while serving as a stark reminder of the urgent need to protect children’s right to education and ensure the absolute safety of schools during times of war and conflict.

Fatemeh Zahra Sheikh-Abadi, a student survivor of the Shajareh Tayyebeh school attack. Social media/ WANA News Agency