The human rights organization Amnesty International has documented cruel torture of children and young people six months following the start of the latest wave of protests in Iran. Demonstrators were subjected to beatings, flogging, electric shocks, rape and other sexual violence by secret services and security agencies, Amnesty said in a report published overnight.
According to Amnesty, the violence was aimed at oppressing the country’s youth and crushing their protest. Dieter Karg, Iran researcher at Amnesty Germany, said in a statement: “It is despicable that officials abuse their power in this way over vulnerable and frightened children, causing them and their families severe pain and distress, and severe physical and psychological harm leave scars.”
Amnesty documented violence from the time of arrest, where children and young people were beaten in prison vans and tortured in detention centers. This included electric shocks to the genitals, forced administration of unknown pills and severe threats. Before they were released, state officials often threatened the children with arresting their relatives if they complained.
