Immediately and unconditionally release the children detained in the protests
This petition is addressed to:
- Committee on the Rights of the Child - OHCHR
- The UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children
- UNICEF in Iran
Since the start of the protests due to rising gasoline prices in November, there have been reports of children being arrested for allegedly participating in street demonstrations. The official media of the Islamic Republic have confirmed these arrests. One of these reports noted the transfer of more than 100 children to correctional centers. Amnesty International, in a recent report released in late December, highlighted the beating, torture, and custody of these children in detention facilities with adults.Reports of the torture, sexual harassment and rape of detained children have created a wave of concern among activists and civil society organizations. International law, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Arrest and Protection of Children, has clear provisions, which the Islamic Republic is violating by arresting these children.According to the reports, children took part in the protests in three ways:
- As Passersby: In many instances, children passed by street protests on their way to or from school.
- As Bystanders: Children watched the demonstrations out of curiosity.
- As Demonstrators: Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, children have the right to protest and governments are obliged to provide for the voice of children to be heard.
It is possible that some children did commit violent acts during protests, including the destruction of public or state property. In that case, they have acted "against the law" and can be prosecuted as defendants.Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the arrest of a child-defendant must be a last resort, and the child must enjoy all the rights of the child, in addition to the public rights of the accused.Children should be kept in touch with their families and lawyers throughout their detention and all inquiries should be made in the presence of their parents.They should also not be denied other rights such as the right to education. In addition, the prohibition of violence and torture against a child is an accepted principle. Since there is evidence that the arrests began shortly after the demonstration and that the "arrest" was the first legal action by the Islamic Republic's security and judicial authorities in dealing with the protesters, no child specific treatment has taken place.Furthermore, the authorities have not provided any evidence against these children to their families. There is a lot of evidence and information indicating that many of the arrested children were not involved in the destruction of property and, in fact, there is no accusation against them. Finally, many of the families of these children have been threatened to not disclose the conditions of their children.We, the undersigned, call upon the respected members of the United Nations Children's Rights to use all their means to force the Islamic Republic to:
- Release all children arrested during the November 2019 protests in Iran immediately and unconditionally.
- Hold accountable and punish those responsible for the torture and sexual harassment of these children.
- End arrests, threats and harassment of children on the pretext of protest and other justifications.
- Immediately adopt and enforce the Law on the Protection of Children and Youth, which is in the final stage of adoption by the parliament (Majlis) to prevent future systematic violations of children's rights.
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حامد فرمند started this petition
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