public social welfare hotlines.39 In April 2020, Mahmoud Aligoo, the head of the department
of social harms of the State’s Welfare Organization reportedly announced a dramatic increase
in the number of cases of domestic violence, as Iran was going through a governmental
mandated lockdown to combat the spread of the virus COVID-19. 40 41 Yet, cases of domestic
violence are believed to be largely underreported.42
B. The State party should take steps to ensure that victims of domestic violence have
access to effective means of redress and immediate protection, including through
a sufficient number of safehouses
Reports of cases of violence against women have shown that there is a general lack of
accountability for perpetrators. 43 44 45Victims wishing to file a complaint for domestic
violence must present two adult male witnesses to the assault, an evidentiary burden difficult
to meet -if not impossible.46 Further, a woman can be given permission to leave the marital
house only if she can prove to a court a significant risk of bodily harm or threat to her life and
safety.47 When perpetrators are convicted, sentences tend to be a payment of diyah (financial
compensation)48 unless the offence is found to have disrupted public order and the safety of
society, in which case prison may be imposed.49 Additionally, the absence of laws providing
for the issuance of restraining orders puts victims under the risk of abusers’ retaliation. In
October 2018, a woman was reportedly murdered by her brother at the hospital where she was
hospitalized after he stabbed her.50
Reports have shown that police and judges often consider domestic violence as internal
family matters.51 Police intervention has been reportedly discouraged and parties urged to
39
Human Rights Activists News Agency, 2020, https://www.en-hrana.org/domestic-violence-increased-during-coronavirusquarantines-and-stay-at-home-orders
40
Human Rights Activists News Agency, 2020, https://www.en-hrana.org/domestic-violence-increased-during-coronavirusquarantines-and-stay-at-home-orders
41
IRNA, 2020, https://bit.ly/38UoMfB
42
Center for Human Rights in Iran, 2018, https://iranhumanrights.org/2018/11/iran-must-pass-legislation-to-protect-womenagainst-violence/
43
Center for Human Rights in Iran, 2019, https://iranhumanrights.org/2019/11/stop-violence-against-women/
44
Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, 2020, https://iranhrdc.org/access-to-justice-for-victims-of-sexual-violence-iniran/
45
Human Rights Activists News Agency, https://www.en-hrana.org/articles
46
“The standard [of proof] for testimony in all offences shall be two male witnesses; unless in zina, livat, tafkhiz, and
mosaheqeh which shall be proved by four male witnesses” Article 199 of the Islamic Penal Code (2013), Iran Human Rights
Documentation Center, 2020, https://iranhrdc.org/access-to-justice-for-victims-of-sexual-violence-in-iran/
47
Amnesty International, 2015, https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/MDE1311112015ENGLISH.pdf
48
Amnesty International, 2015, https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/MDE1311112015ENGLISH.pdf
49
Article 614, Islamic Penal Code (2013), Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, https://iranhrdc.org/islamic-penalcode-of-the-islamic-republic-of-iran-book-five/
50
Center for Human Rights in Iran, 2018, https://iranhumanrights.org/2018/11/iran-must-pass-legislation-to-protect-womenagainst-violence/ ; https://www.ilna.news/-ھﻤﮫ-ﭼﺸﻤﺎن-ﺑﺮاﺑﺮ-در-ﻗﺎﺗﻞ-ﺑﯿﻤﺎرﺳﺘﺎن-در-ﺑﺮادرش-ﺗﻮﺳﻂ-ﺟﻮان-زن-ﻗﺘﻞ-15/685150-ھﺎ-اﺳﺘﺎن-ﺑﺨﺶ
ﮐﺮد-ﻗﺘﻞ-ﺑﮫ-اﻗﺪام
51
2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Iran, U.S. Department of State, https://www.state.gov/reports/2019country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/iran/
4