Iran passes legislation to combat honor killings

On June 7, Iran passed a new law criminalizing the emotional and/or physical abuse of a child — the first of its kind in the nation. The Iranian Guardian Council acted in direct response to nationwide outrage that followed the murder of 14-year-old Romina Ashrafi last month. Ashraf was beheaded by her father after he learned that she was planning to run away with her 29-year-old boyfriend. Some have dubbed the legislation “Romina’s Law,” stating that were the law to have been passed just weeks earlier, Romina still might be alive today.

This law was passed nearly a decade after it was originally drafted in 2009, in the wake of increasing numbers of child abuse cases. In the years since, however, Iran has failed to produce adequate protections for children against abuse, and most notoriously protections against honor killings. Honor killings are murders of girls and women, usually by a male member of their family, based on the belief that the victim has brought shame upon her family or community, or has violated religious principles. According to a report from the Iranian Police Academy, as many as 45% of all murders committed in more rural, traditional provinces in the south and west of Iran are ultimately classified as honor killings.

Romina’s murder particularly demonstrated the impunity with which many Iranian men have long governed their female family members, as well as the lack of protection offered to children. For instance, according to the New York Times, before killing his daughter, Reza Ashrafi spoke with a lawyer, who told him that he would likely only be imprisoned for three to 10 years for murdering his daughter. The Iranian penal code had long prioritized the authority of fathers over the rights of their children. Unlike mothers, family patriarchs are considered guardians, and as such have historically been exempt from capital punishment for murdering their children. Reza Shafahkhah, a children’s rights activist and lawyer, spoke with the Iranian media the day after the new law had passed. “Romina died, but thousands of children are at the brink of life and death every day. This case clearly revealed the lack of laws protecting children,” he stated.

In addition to criminalizing physical and emotional abuse, the new law offers protections against abandonment, harassment, forcible labor, and withheld education. Those who violate the law will be held accountable by being subject to punishment through monetary fines as well as jail time. The law also dictates that judiciary and public officials are obligated to report and respond to cases of child abuse. During investigations into allegations of child abuse, children will be placed under the protection of social services until the comprehensive investigations have been completed.

Reporting has shown that Romina had expressed apprehension about being returned to her father, for fear of a violent response. A local investigator looked into her claims, but ultimately returned her to the care of her father after the patriarch assured investigators that he wouldn’t harm his daughter. Under the new law, it would have been illegal for Romina to have been returned to her home without further investigation.

The law is seen by advocates as a long overdue safeguarding of the welfare and security of Iranian children. Hadi Ghaemi, the executive director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran, said in an interview with the New York Times, “It’s the first time in Iran’s legal framework that harming a child is defined as a crime.” However, according to Ghaemi, the law does not address several relevant issues pertaining to the safety of children, including child marriage, nor does it address the execution of juvenile defenders. “Romina’s Law” is a step in the right direction for Iran, and will hopefully serve as the impetus for widespread protection for children as well as sweeping accountability for those who harm them.