Concluding Observations Committee on the Rights of the Child CRC/C/IRN/CO/3-4 para
84
Full recommendation:
The Committee recommends that the State party take active measures to officially recognize
ethnic and linguistic minority groups and that it provides them with opportunities to learn,
communicate and practise their language, art, culture and religion without any undue
interference. It also urges the State party to ensure that reports of unlawful arrests, detention,
imprisonments, killings, torture and executions targeted against members of minority groups,
including children, are promptly investigated and the perpetrators are held accountable.
Assessment using Impact Iran human rights indicators1
A. The Committee recommends that the State party take active measures to officially
recognize ethnic and linguistic minority groups
Article 14 of the Constitution stipulates that the government and Muslims in Iran are “dutybound to treat non-Muslims in conformity with ethical norms and the principles of Islamic
justice and equity, and to respect their citizen rights”. Article 19 of the Constitution protects the
equal rights of “ethnic group or tribe” regardless or “color, race, language, and the like”.
Additionally, Article 20 of the Constitution states that “All citizens of the country, both men and
women, equally enjoy the protection of the law and enjoy all human, political, economic, social,
and cultural rights, in conformity with Islamic criteria”. 2
However, Arabs, Azerbaijani Turks, Balochis and Kurds face targeted discrimination on the
basis of their identity and are generally side-lined from general public services, including
education and health care.
Ethnic minorities, especially Kurds and Balochis, are over-represented in death penalty statistics.
60 people were executed in the 4 provinces of West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan, Sistan and
Baluchistan, and Kurdistan in 2020. This represents a 20%+ increase compared to 2019 and
2018, when 49 and 51 people were executed in the 4 provinces. The executions are also more
likely to be carried out secretly: of the 60 executions confirmed by Iran Human Rights in those
1
CRC.17.1.S.1.1; CRC.17.1.S.5.1; CRC.29.1.S.1; CRC.29.2.S.1; CRC.30.1.S.1; ESCR.15.1.1.P.3; ESCR.15.1.1.P.2;
ESCR.15.1.1.P.4; CRC.17.1.P.6.2; CRC.29.1.P.1; CCPR.6.5.O.1; CRC.6.1.O.2; CRC.29.1.O.1; CRC.29.1.O.2; CRC.30.1.O.2;
ESCR.15.1.1.O.3
2
The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, English translation, https://irandataportal.syr.edu/wpcontent/uploads/constitution-english-1368.pdf
1