United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has condemned reported killings of at least 23 Children by Iran security force while hundreds injured, tortured during the ongoing peaceful protect in the country.
The Committee who made the condemnation on Monday, urged the authority to stop all violence against children’s rights in the context of peaceful protests following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini on 16 September 2022.
The Committee is alarmed by the killings by security forces of at least 23 children, including an 11-year-old boy. “According to reliable reports, some children were shot with live ammunition, while others died as a result of beatings.
“Many families reported that, despite grieving for the loss of a child, they were pressured to absolve security forces by declaring that their children had committed suicide and making false confessions.
The Committee is also deeply concerned at reports that children have been arrested in schools and detained together with adults, and that some have been subjected to acts of torture.
The announcement made by the Ministry of Education on 12 October that children arrested were being transferred to psychological centres for correction
And education to prevent them from becoming anti-social characters and numerous reports of retaliatory expulsions of many high school students are also matters of concern to the Committee.
“We strongly urge Iran to comply with its international human rights obligations, particularly those under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
“This begins with the fundamental obligation to protect children’s right to life under any circumstances”, the Committee added.
The Committee reaffirmed the obligation incumbent on the Islamic Republic of Iran to respect and protect children’s rights to freedom of expression and peaceful protest.
“Many children, including many girls, are protesting to make their opinions known on issues that matter to them. Their right to be heard should not be stifled by any level of force.
The Committee strongly urged Iran to cease the use of force against peaceful protests and protect the children participating in peaceful demonstrations.
“Grave violations of children’s rights in Iran need to be thoroughly investigated by competent, independent and impartial authorities and those responsible prosecuted.
“The Committee on the Rights of the Child will continue to closely monitor the situation in Iran and liaise with other relevant human rights bodies to bring an end to the grave violations of the rights of Iranian children.”
Meanwhile, the nationwide protest movement began a month ago, following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who died after being arrested by Iran’s so-called morality police, for violating strict dress codes relating to her hijab.
Many of the videos which have gone viral from Iran, despite a crackdown on the domestic internet, show young women risking their lives in the street or in classrooms, defying authorities with protest chants criticizing clerical leaders.