UNICEF Criticized for Not Responding to Children’s Deaths During Iran Protest Crackdown

More protesters and activists call on UNICEF and other human rights groups to take action on crimes against children in the Iran protest crackdowns.

The UNICEF stated that an “estimated 50 children have reportedly lost their lives in the public unrest in Iran.” It added that the reported deaths “must stop.”

CNN said that many Iranians feel that their voices fall on deaf ears. “They just say, hey, Islamic Republic, what you are doing is bad,” a protester told the news agency.

Violence against children continues during the Iran protest crackdown.

Photo Credit: www.cbc.ca

Nationwide outrage erupted across Iran over the death of Mahsa Amini, who allegedly died at the hands of the Iranian morality police.

She died on September 16, 2022, but it sparked protests that have been raging for two months. Interactions between activists and security forces have become increasingly violent ever since.

Unfortunately, more children get injured and die as the Iran protest crackdown continues. Dr. Nina Ansary, Iranian–American historian, posted the most recent child injury during the crackdown on Instagram.

She said, “There is no end to the brutality and horrific atrocities of the regime in Iran. Security forces opened fire on schoolchildren in the Kurdish city of Sanandaj, seriously injuring a 16-year-old boy. Shame on @unicef” 

According to the local news website IranWire, at least 46 children died due to Iranian security forces. It has published the names of 241 people who lost their lives in the protests since September 16.

The news agency added that children had been killed in at least 19 Iranian cities in 11 provinces. Most of them died from three causes.

Some met their demise from pellets fired at close range. Others died after their vital organs got hit by long-range and precision weapons. 

The other children lost their lives after being repeatedly beaten on the head by batons. However, IranWire said that authorities had denied responsibility for these deaths. 

It also reported that authorities tried to hide evidence by abducting the victims’ bodies and threatening family members.

List of child casualties during the Iran protest crackdown 

Photo Credit: www.amnesty.org

The Iranian news website released the names of the children who lost their lives:

1. Zakaria Khial (16), September 20, Pirahnshahr
2. Amin Marefat (16), September 21, Oshnavieh
3. Sayed Mehdi Mousavai (16), September 21, Zanjan
4. Pedram Azarnoush (16), September 22, Dehdasht
5. Abdollah Mohammadpour (16), September 21, Balu Uromia
6. Amir Farrokhipour (17), September 28, Tehran
7. Mohammad Amin Gamshadzehi (17), September 30, Zahedan
8. Mohammed Reza Sarvari (14), September 21, Shar-e-Ray
9. Omid Safarzehi (17), September 30, Zahedan
10. Jaber Shirouzehi (12), September 30, Zahedan
11. Omid Sarani (13), September 30, Zahedan
12. Sodeys Keshani (14), September 30, Zahedan
13. Mohammed Rakhshani (12), September 30, Zahedan
14. Yasser Shahouzehi (16), September 30, Zahedan
15. Omid Narui (12), September 28, Zahedan
16. Adel Kouchakzai (Barichi) (14), September 28, Zahedan
17. Sarina Saedi (16), October 26, Sanandaj
18. Kumar Daroftadeh (16), September 30, Pirahnshahr
19. Mona Naghib (8), October 26, Saravan
20. Javad Pousheh (12), October 30, Zahedan
21. Amir Nowrouzi (16), September 22, Banda-e-Anzali
22. Parsa Rezadoust (17) September 23, Hashtgerd
23. Amir Ali Fouladi (16), September 22, Islamabad-e-Gharb
24. Sarina Esmalizadeh (16), September 22, Mehrshahr Karaj
25. Nika Shakarami (17), September 21, Tehran
26. Amirhossein Basati (15), October 1, Kermanshah
27. Mohammad Eghbal Nayebzehi (16), September 30, Shahnavazi
28. Asra Panahi Khanghah (15), October 13, Ardabil
29. Siavash Mahmoudi (16), September 25, Tehran
30. Nima Shafaghdout (16), October 5, Uromia
31. Setareh Tajik (17), September 23, Tehran
32. Samer Hashemzehi (16), Zahedan
33. Yasser Bahadorzehi (17), November 4, Khash
34. Mobin Mirkazehi (14), November 4, Khash
35. Kian Pirfalak (9), November 16, Izeh
36. Sepehr Maghsoudi (14), November 16, Izeh
37. Ali Barahoui (11), September 30, Zahedan
38. Armin Sayyadi (15), October 12, Kermanshah
39. Danial Pabandi (17), November 16, Saqqez
40. Mehdi Hazrati (17), November 8, Khorramdasht Karaj
41. Abolfazi Adinezadeh (16), Mashhad
42. Danial Shahbakhsh (11), November 30, Zahedan
43. Karvan Ghader Shokri (16), November 19, Pirahshahr
44. Bahaoddin Velsi (16), November 20, Javanrood
45. Parmis Hamnava (14), October 25, Iranshahr
46. Ali Mozaffari (17), September 21, Ghouchan

The United Nations said on Friday that it was “deeply worried about growing violence related to the ongoing popular protests in Iran.”

Still, Iranians say its words are not enough, and there should be more actions against human rights violations in their country.

Iranian American human rights lawyer Gissou Nia told CNN that Iranians are “demanding justice asking what UNICEF is doing on the ground to stop this.”

Conclusion

The United Nations Human Rights Council convened on November 23, 2022. It focused on the violent protest crackdowns in Iran. 

UNHR chief Volker Turk warned that Iran is, “in a full-fledged human rights crisis” and “he unnecessary and disproportionate use of force must come to an end.”

Khadijeh Karimi, Iran’s deputy vice president for women and family affairs, stated that Western countries “lack the moral credibility to preach others on human rights.”