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Iran: Children

The UN should also use all its power to demand the immediate release of hundreds of children detained during protests in Iran in recent weeks when it holds an urgent special session later this week. According to some estimates, more than 63 children are reported to have been killed, and between 500-1,000 children believed to be among the more than 18,000 people detained, some threatened with execution. On 24 November the Human Rights Council voted in favour of a resolution condemning Iran's brutal crackdown on protestors and launching a fact-finding mission to investigate alleged human rights violations.

The UK is committed to holding Iran to account for the appalling treatment of children throughout the brutal crackdown of protests. The UK highlighted this issue at the UN Human Right Council on 24 November, at which we supported a successful Resolution to establish a UN investigation into the human rights violations committed by the regime during the protests. The Foreign Secretary also called out Iran's treatment of children alongside his G7 partners at the meeting of Foreign Ministers on 4 November. The UK will continue work with partners at international fora to call on the Iranian authorities to abide by their obligations under international law and to improve the practices surrounding children in detention.