A deeply disturbing case of domestic violence has emerged in Sanandaj, where two young children were reportedly subjected to relentless abuse by their father and stepmother. The Hana Human Rights Organization has received accounts detailing cruel and systematic treatment that has left the children in critical need of protection.
According to an informed source, the children have suffered profound physical and psychological trauma from the repeated beatings. Following their parents’ divorce and the father’s remarriage, the household became increasingly volatile. The violence recently escalated to a point where the children’s lives were in imminent danger.
Once the severity of the situation came to light, local authorities intervened. The children were removed from the home and are now in the custody of the State Welfare Organization (Behzisti), where they are receiving emergency medical care, trauma counseling, and safe shelter.
The Hana Human Rights Organization stresses that this violence cannot be dismissed as a private family dispute or severe discipline. It represents a fundamental violation of the children’s right to life, safety, and human dignity.
Both international and domestic frameworks demand strict intervention in such cases. Under Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, governments are bound to protect minors from all forms of physical and mental abuse, particularly at the hands of parents or guardians.
Domestically, Iran’s 2020 Child and Adolescent Protection Law requires immediate state action when a minor is in danger, explicitly holding guardians criminally accountable for both abuse and a failure to protect.
Hana is calling for a swift, impartial criminal investigation to ensure the perpetrators face justice. The organization demands comprehensive forensic medical evaluations for the children, alongside specialized psychological support. It is imperative that they are never returned to that abusive environment and that their ongoing welfare is closely monitored.
Children rely entirely on adults for their safety, making them uniquely vulnerable. Treating such atrocities as private family matters rather than serious crimes only perpetuates the cycle of abuse and represents a direct failure of the state to protect its most defenseless citizens.