Child detainees in Iran subjected to flogging, electric shocks and sexual violence, says Amnesty | CNN

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used by the Iranian authorities. Methods of torture including sexual violence as part of a crackdown on child incarceration Recent protestsAccording to rights group Amnesty International.

“Iran’s intelligence and security forces are committing horrific acts of violence, including beatings, whippings, electric shocks, rape and sexual violence against children under the age of 12,” Amnesty said on Thursday. are to prevent their involvement in nationwide protests.”

A report by the group “exposed the torture methods used by the Revolutionary Guards, the paramilitary Basij, the Public Security Police, and other security and intelligence forces to punish and humiliate detained boys and girls and extract forced confessions.” used for.” ”

Amnesty International’s deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, Diana Al-Tahawi, said Iran’s “violence against children exposes a deliberate strategy to crush the dynamism of the country’s youth and prevent them from demanding freedom and human rights.” does.”

The human rights group said Amnesty “obtained testimonies from victims and their families, as well as from 19 eyewitnesses, including two lawyers and 17 adult detainees, of extensive evidence of violence against children.” Obtained further testimony about the commission, which was held with the children.”

The protests were first sparked by the death of 22-year-old Iranian Mehsa Amini, who died on September 16, 2022, after being detained by the country’s morality police.

According to Amnesty, Iran has admitted to detaining more than 22,000 people during the protests, but did not say how many of them were children. The group estimates that thousands of children may be among those detained.

Amnesty also stated that “state agents used rape and other sexual violence, including electric shocks to the genitals, genital touching, and threats of rape as weapons against children in custody.” To break souls, humiliate and punish them, and/or obtain ‘confessions’.”

Amnesty’s report added that “other methods of torture included flogging, electric shocks using stun guns, forced use of unknown bullets, and placing children’s heads under water”.

Amnesty called on Iran to release any children detained for peacefully protesting, and urged other countries to “exercise universal jurisdiction over Iranian authorities, including those in command or senior positions.” , who are reasonably suspected of criminal responsibility for crimes under international law, including violence against children. Protesters.”

CNN has reached out to the Iranian government for comment, but has yet to hear back, and the government has yet to comment publicly on the report.

In February, CNN revealed the existence of a vast network of illegal secret prisons, or black sites, in Iran.

The methods of coercion and torture practiced in this shadowy network appear to be even more horrific than the regular harsh treatment that arrested protesters can expect in legal detention centers.

CNN reached out to the Iranian government for comment on allegations of torture and abuse at these unofficial sites, but did not receive a response.