In the aftermath of the Dey 1404 protests, mounting evidence indicates that a significant number of children and teenagers were among those detained. Although Iranian authorities say many student detainees have been released, senior officials acknowledge some minors remain in custody. The continued detention of children in connection with political unrest raises serious concerns regarding both domestic juvenile protections and international human rights law.
Members of Iran’s Parliamentary Education Commission have publicly confirmed that approximately 17 percent of participants in the January protests were teenagers, most of them students. In some provinces, officials stated that the percentage of those under 20 reached as high as 45 percent. Another lawmaker previously reported that around 28 percent of those detained were under 20 years old. Despite these admissions, officials have acknowledged that no comprehensive or transparent statistics have been formally presented to Parliament regarding the number of detained or killed minors.
Iran’s Justice Minister has confirmed that while many student detainees have been released, a number of individuals under 18 remain in detention, stating that their cases are under review and that efforts are being made to secure their release on bail. Earlier claims by education officials that all detained students had been freed appear to conflict with these confirmations. The lack of clear data and inconsistent official messaging has intensified concern among civil society groups and international observers.
Teachers’ associations have reported that at least 200 minors were killed during the unrest, publishing names and declaring a national day of mourning for schools under the title “For the Empty Desks, For the Unfinished Dreams.” A senior health official previously indicated that approximately 100 university students were killed during the same period. While official government figures are significantly lower, independent human rights organizations also estimate that tens of thousands of Iranians of all ages were detained after the protests, indicating that the number of minors still detained could be quite high.
In a deeply alarming development, Amnesty International has reported that two 17-year-old children are among 30 individuals arrested during the January protests who are currently at risk of execution. According to Amnesty, the two minors are being held in a juvenile detention facility (Rehabilitation and Correction Center).
Amnesty International emphasized that international law explicitly prohibits the use of the death penalty against individuals who were under 18 at the time of the alleged offense. This prohibition is absolute under Article 37(a) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which Iran is a signatory to, and under customary international law.
The organization further reported that the thirty individuals facing execution are either awaiting trial or undergoing proceedings marred by forced confessions obtained under torture and other serious violations of fair trial rights. According to the statement, at least eight of the 30 individuals were sentenced to death within weeks of their arrest.
Under Article 37(b) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) — to which Iran is a state party — detention of children must be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time. Continued detention of minors in relation to protest activity raises serious questions regarding compliance with this obligation. Article 37 further requires that children deprived of liberty be treated with humanity and respect for their dignity, and be separated from adults unless it is in their best interest not to be.
UNICEF has expressed deep concern over reports of continued detention of children arrested during the protests and has called for immediate and independent access to all detained minors to assess their treatment, health, and well-being. The organization warned that deprivation of liberty may have long-term and damaging effects on a child’s development and on the future of society. International standards, including the UN Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty and the Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice, emphasize that detention must prioritize rehabilitation, psychological well-being, and reintegration rather than punishment.
Domestic professional associations have also raised alarms. The spokesperson of the Iranian Psychiatric Association warned that judicial responses that initially appear “educational” risk becoming “controlling” in practice. He stated that every additional hour a teenager is kept in detention increases the risk of resentment and alienation, pushing young people toward distrust of legal institutions and long-term social harm. He urged authorities to focus on addressing structural deficiencies in educational, social, economic, and cultural systems rather than relying on punitive measures against youth.
Civil society organizations, including the Iranian Association of Children and Young Adult Writers, have condemned the arrest of minors, the filing of judicial cases against them, and reports of coerced confessions. They have called for the unconditional release of detained children and for transparent reporting by the Ministry of Education regarding victims, detainees, and affected students. Meanwhile, government spokespersons have stated that joint sessions between the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Education, and legal authorities are reviewing cases individually and have announced psychological support programs and crisis hotlines. However, the continued confirmation that minors remain in custody indicates that the situation has not yet been fully resolved.
International human rights law is clear that children must be afforded heightened protection in situations of political unrest. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) – to which Iran is also a signatory – guarantees due process protections, including access to legal counsel and prompt judicial review. For minors, these protections must be adapted to their age and vulnerability. The prolonged or opaque detention of children risks violating these safeguards and undermines confidence in the juvenile justice system.
From a human rights perspective, the continued detention of minors in connection with political protests is deeply concerning and inconsistent with the spirit and letter of Iran’s obligations. Children should not bear the long-term consequences of political conflict, nor should their development be compromised by extended incarceration and many of the harsh conditions – including torture – that often accompanies political imprisonment in Iran.
NIAC calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all minors currently detained in connection with the January protests, full transparency regarding their status and cases, and strict adherence to international juvenile justice standards. Protecting children’s rights is not a political demand, it is a legal and moral obligation grounded in universally-recognized human rights principles.