According to a 3 November 1997 dispatch from Agence France Presse (AFP), the Iranian newspapers reported that the Iranian parliament had passed a new law against child abuse on 2 November 1997. The law would deny custody to parents who endanger their children. Among the examples given of such endangerment are applying too much corporal punishment or forcing a child "to engage in immoral professions such as prostitution, begging or smuggling." AFP reported that the new legislation followed increased reporting of child abuse in Iran in recent months, including a notorious case in which an eight-year-old girl was reportedly murdered by her parents "after being tortured for years." The dispatch added that the new law could make it easier for divorced women to challenge former husbands for custody of their children. Please see the attached text of the dispatch for more details.

The following is an excerpt from a 1 June 1995 interview in The Independent with Dr. Saeed Rajaie Khorasani, the Chairman of the Human Rights Committee of Iran's parliament. Dr. Khorasani is speaking of sexual abuse within the family in Iran:

"When this kind of thing happens here, people don't take it indifferently. They attack and kill the father on the spot. The brother who sexually attacks his sister ( the biggest crime that can happen. In such cases, the conduct of the law in this country does not necessarily correspond with the law in Europe or America."

On 8 July 1997 the Associated Press (AP) quoting the English-language newspaper Iran Daily, reported that a soldier had been arrested for kidnapping and raping a six-year-old boy in Ilam province. The dispatch stated that the soldier could be sentenced to death if convicted of "pedophilia."

According to a 9 June 1997 Reuters dispatch, the police in Tehran had arrested ten people in connection with "three pedophile rings." The suspects were accused of sexually abusing children who had run away from home, "then using them for criminal activities." Among those arrested were "two notorious criminals known as Davoud Shale (Davoud With a Limp) and Said Eskelet (Said the Skeleton)." The dispatch stated that cases of sexual abuse of children are rarely reported in the Iranian press.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Agence France Presse (AFP). 3 November 1997. "Iranian Parliament Passes Law Against Child Abuse." (NEXIS)

Associated Press (AP). 8 July 1997. "Soldier Arrested for Raping Boy." (NEXIS)

The Independent. 1 June 1995. Robert Fisk. "Defending the Rights of Islam; Yes, Tehran has a human rights watchdog. And no, he has no difficulty turning aside awkward questions by attacking the double standards of the West." (NEXIS)

Reuters. 9 June 1997. BC Cycle. "Iran Police Break Up Three Child Sex Abuse Rings." (NEXIS)

Agence France Presse (AFP). 3 November 1997. "Iranian Parliament Passes Law Against Child Abuse." (NEXIS)