Iran: UN anger over child arrests and detention in psychiatric institutions
Ever since popular protests erupted in Iran, not a day goes by without more crimes from the Iranian regime. A spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ravenna Shamdasani, revealed that 23 children were killed in the ongoing mass protests in Iran.
European Union countries are considering tough sanctions against Iran in the wake of Tehran’s crackdown on protesters angry over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. Shamdasani said: “Up to 23 children were killed and many more injured in at least seven Iranian provinces by live ammunition, metal pellets at close range and fatal beatings”, she warned “the continued unnecessary and disproportionate use of force against demonstrators must stop”.
Psychological centers
The UN official accused the Iranian authorities of arbitrarily arresting the demonstrators, adding that the Minister of Education confirmed sending an unspecified number of children to “psychological centers” after their arrest for allegedly participating in anti-state protests, according to the London-based Middle East newspaper. Shamdasani said that her office also received reports of the arrest of at least 90 members of civil society, including human rights defenders, lawyers, artists and journalists, as well as details regarding patterns of ill-treatment, torture and medical negligence of prisoners.
Iran recalled that under the human rights treaties signed by Iran, there is an obligation to respect the right to freedom of expression and peaceful demonstration. The newspaper continued that last Monday, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in the country, urged the authorities to stop all forms of violence against the children, saying that many children were killed by the security forces. Children, however, have been pressured to discharge security forces by declaring their children’s suicide and making false confessions.
Investigation
In the same context, the UN Committee expressed its deep concern over reports of children being arrested in schools, detained with adults, and some of whom were subjected to acts of torture, and referred to a report issued by the Ministry of Education on October 12, in which it stated that the children in detention were turned into psychological centers for reform and education to prevent them from becoming antisocial figures. The Commission said that grave violations of children’s rights in Iran require a thorough investigation by competent, independent and impartial authorities and the prosecution of those responsible.
The Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (WBF) said that it noted that the European Union had extended the sanctions to include 11 individuals and four organizations in connection with Amini’s death and the reaction to the demonstrations, and that “the Commission will continue to monitor the situation in Iran closely and liaise with other relevant human rights bodies to put an end to the grave violations of the rights of Iranian children.”
The newspaper added that under the current procedures, Switzerland has banned the export of weapons, nuclear goods and surveillance equipment, as well as frozen the financial assets of some Iranians linked to the government and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Meanwhile, EU foreign ministers added 11 Iranians and four institutions, including the head of Iran’s morality police, to the travel ban and assets freeze list for their role in quelling protests after Amini’s death. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani denounced EU sanctions as “interference” in his country’s internal affairs.
