Human rights organisations have expressed increasing concern over the continued use of the death penalty against individuals accused of crimes committed while they were under the age of 18.

Despite international legal standards prohibiting the execution of juvenile offenders, Iran remains one of the few countries where such sentences continue to be imposed. Rights advocates warn that several young prisoners are currently at risk of execution following judicial proceedings that have been widely criticised for failing to meet international standards of fairness.

According to human rights monitors, many juvenile defendants face limited access to legal representation, prolonged detention, and significant procedural shortcomings during investigations and trials. Concerns have also been raised regarding the use of confessions obtained under pressure and the lack of adequate consideration for the age and circumstances of the accused at the time of the alleged offence.

International law, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child, strictly prohibits the use of capital punishment for offences committed by persons under the age of eighteen. Human rights organisations argue that the continued issuance of such sentences represents a serious violation of Iran’s international obligations.

Campaigners continue to call for an immediate halt to all executions involving juvenile offenders and for the review of cases in which death sentences have been imposed on individuals who were minors at the time of the alleged crime.

A Test of Justice

How a society treats its children is often seen as a measure of its commitment to justice and human dignity.

When young people face the possibility of execution for acts committed before adulthood, the issue extends beyond criminal law and becomes a question of fundamental human rights.

Protecting children from irreversible punishment is not simply a legal obligation—it is a reflection of the values that define a humane and just society.