Iran is the country of all violations according to the international peace actors. Indeed, this country is infamous for its repeated violations of human rights and more specifically the rights of women and girls. It is true that even the most fundamental right, the right to life is not respected since the death penalty is a sanction in use in Iran. It is a punishment in threat not only to adults but also to children despite Iran's adherence to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The situation of children in the light of Iran's reality
One of the fundamental principles governing the Convention on the Rights of the Child is the absolute prohibition of the death penalty for minors, i.e. children under the age of 18. In reality, however, this principle is not respected at all in Iran, where there are still cases of children between the ages of nine and seventeen being sentenced to death. In fact, as recently as 2021, a 17-year-old boy, Hamid Ahmadi, was sentenced to death on a charge of homicide by hanging. Girls are not exempt from these sentences, which could be described as arbitrary, and this has prompted
the National Council of Resistance of Iran to address the issue.
Criminal responsibility of girls in Iran
Iran is not only distinguished for its stance on the death penalty, but also for the place it gives to women and girls in its society. Indeed, according to
the Iranian penal code, a boy is only responsible from the age of 15, which is not the case for young girls because they are held criminally responsible from the age of nine. This responsibility means that from this young age girls could be sentenced to death.
Offenses and crimes that lead to the conviction of girls
Often, the offenses, misdemeanors, or crimes for which girls are held accountable in Iran have to do with morality. These usually involve the wearing of a veil or engaging in conduct deemed indecent in public or private. Offenses that are often considered to be minor on the international scene can cost them their lives in most cases.
