February 11, 2026
Table of Contents
Children’s Rights Violations Related to Parental Incarceration During the 2026 Protests 3
Verbal and Emotional Violence. 3
Being Kept Uninformed About the Imprisoned Parent’s Status. 3
Lack of Access to Treatment and Psychological Support 5
Children with Previous Experience of Parental Incarceration. 6
Background
As of 11 February 2026, more than 50,000 individuals have reportedly been arrested[1] in connection with the recent protests in Iran. Based on global research estimating the ratio of children affected by parental incarceration, the average rate of children with incarcerated parents in Iran is approximately 1.72[2] per detained individual. Accordingly, Children of Imprisoned Parents International (COIPI) estimates that nearly 90,000 children may have lost one or both parents to detention following the mass arrests in January and February 2026.
There is, however, no publicly available official or unofficial data concerning:
• The number of children affected;
• Their demographic characteristics;
• Their situation at the time of arrest;
• Their access to caregivers during interrogation and pretrial detention;
• Or the measures taken to protect their rights.
This report relies on publicly available information from human rights organizations, primarily HRANA News Agency, Kurdpa, and Hengaw, published over the past 45 days. COIPI also conducted interviews with affected family members and individuals in contact with families of detained parents.
The report documents how children’s rights have been violated by state authorities during the arrest and detention of parents and concludes with recommendations grounded in international standards and CRC jurisprudence.
Children’s Rights Violations Related to Parental Incarceration During the 2026 Protests
Verbal and Emotional Violence
(Violation of Article 19[3] of the CRC – protection from all forms of violence)
Arrests have frequently been conducted with aggressive behavior and excessive force.
In one documented case, authorities “forcibly tore the door off its hinges” during a nighttime raid (interview, 6 February 2026). Approximately 20 armed security personnel entered the home in Karaj, Alborz Province, while two children (aged 2 and 9) were watching cartoons with their father. Officers shouted accusations, demanded weapons, physically assaulted the father, and arrested him in front of the children.
In another case, ten armed officers violently arrested a father and teenage brother in front of a 13-year-old girl in a western province. According to the source, officers ransacked the entire house, including the kitchen and children’s rooms (interviews, 6–10 February 2026).
HRANA also reported[4] the use of violence during the arrest of Mohsen Darji and Saideh Foroughi-Far, parents of a six-year-old child in Yasuj.
Such conduct constitutes psychological and emotional violence against children under Article 19 of the CRC.
Being Kept Uninformed About the Imprisoned Parent’s Status
(Violation of Article 9[5] of the CRC – right to maintain contact with parents)
Children whose parents were arrested since late December 2025 have, in most documented cases, been kept uninformed about their parents’ whereabouts or legal status.
Since 24 January 2026, when Vahed and Zahed Khaledian were arrested at their workplace, their children — aged 6, 7, and 12 — have reportedly had no visitation or contact[6].
Since 26 January 2026, when Behzad Sehati and La’ya Jabik were arrested[7] at home in front of their 7-year-old child, the family has received no official information about their detention conditions. Their child has expressed severe anxiety, particularly regarding the mother’s multiple sclerosis and lack of access to medical care.
Similarly, after the arbitrary arrest[8] of Khabat Amiri around 24 January 2026, his 13-year-old daughter was left without information regarding his location or legal status.
These practices violate Article 9 of the CRC, which guarantees children separated from parents the right to maintain contact and receive information.
Arresting Both Caregivers
(Violations of Articles 3[9], 9[10], and 20[11] of the CRC)
Authorities have arrested both caregivers in several documented cases without assessing the best interests of the child.
In one case involving children aged 2 and 9, authorities initially attempted to arrest both parents simultaneously. According to the interviewee, the children were crying uncontrollably. Authorities postponed arresting the mother but detained her a few days later after she dropped her older child at school. Since her arrest, the child has refused to attend school (interview, 6 February 2026).
In another case, university professors Behzad Sehati and La’ya Jabik were both arrested, leaving their 7-year-old child without parental care.
Such actions disregard Article 3 (best interests of the child), Article 9 (non-separation from parents), and Article 20 (special protection for children deprived of their family environment).
Lack of Access to Treatment and Psychological Support
(Violations of Articles 19[12] and 39[13] of the CRC)
Children affected by parental incarceration lack access to state-based psychological or social support. Services reportedly provided by the State Welfare Organization and the Association for the Support of Prisoners are limited, discriminatory, non-transparent, and not evidence-based.
Professionals are not trained in trauma-informed or child-rights-based approaches specific to parental incarceration.
Following the June 2025 conflict and increased repression, families describe the civic space as heavily securitized. Under these conditions, families are reluctant to seek psychological assistance.
One teenage girl whose father was arrested experiences acute emotional distress due to his absence, yet her family is unwilling to approach mental health services for fear of repercussions (interview, 6 February 2026).
This failure to provide recovery and reintegration support violates Articles 19 and 39 of the CRC.
Children with Previous Experience of Parental Incarceration
(Violations of Articles 19 and 39 of the CRC)
Children previously exposed to parental incarceration are particularly vulnerable to retraumatization.
Vahed Khaledian’s daughter (6) and Zahed Khaledian’s sons (7 and 12) experienced their fathers’ arrest[14] the previous year. Khabat Amiri’s daughter was four years old during his earlier one-year imprisonment[15]. COIPI is concerned that these children may not have received trauma-informed psychological support following earlier detention episodes, thereby increasing their vulnerability to renewed harm.
Recommendations
The Committee on the Rights of the Child has previously addressed children of incarcerated parents during its Day of General Discussion (30 September, 2011). In light of the documented cases above, COIPI urges the following measures:
1. Child-Sensitive Arrest Protocols
- Law enforcement authorities must adopt and implement mandatory child-rights-compliant protocols during arrests involving parents.
- Arrests must avoid excessive force, night raids in the presence of children, destruction of property, and intimidation tactics.
- Children present during arrests must receive immediate psychosocial support.
2. Mandatory Best-Interest Assessment
- Authorities must conduct an individualized best-interest assessment before arresting both caregivers.
- Detention of both parents should be avoided where children would be left without adequate care.
- Courts must consider children’s dependency status at all stages of criminal proceedings.
3. Right to Information and Contact
- Children must be promptly informed, in an age-appropriate manner, of their parent’s whereabouts and legal status.
- Regular, child-friendly contact mechanisms must be ensured, including visitation and communication.
- Seeking information must not expose families to retaliation.
4. Non-Custodial and Alternative Measures
- Judges should prioritize non-custodial measures, including conditional release or supervised alternatives, particularly for primary caregivers.
- Pretrial detention of parents with dependent children should be used only as a measure of last resort.
5. Access to Trauma-Informed Support
- The State must ensure accessible, confidential, and rights-based psychological and social support services for children affected by parental incarceration.
- Professionals must receive specialized training on trauma, stigma, and the impact of parental detention.
- Services must be non-discriminatory and transparent.
6. Protection from Retraumatization
- Special attention must be given to children with prior experiences of parental incarceration to prevent cumulative trauma.
- Long-term monitoring and follow-up support should be provided.
7. Data Collection and Transparency
- The Government should publish disaggregated data on children affected by the arrests, including the recent parental incarceration.
- Independent monitoring mechanisms must be allowed to assess compliance with CRC standards.
[1] HRANA, Feb. 11, 2026, https://www.hra-news.org/2026/hranews/a-58014/.
[2] International Coalition for Children with Incarcerated Parents, “World Total Global Statistics about Children with Imprisoned Parents,” 2019, https://inccip.org/statistics/asia-estimate-data/.
[3] Article 19 (1). States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child.
[4] HARANA, Feb. 8, 2026, https://www.hra-news.org/2026/hranews/a-eac96923/
[5] Article 9 (1). States Parties shall ensure that a child shall not be separated from his or her parents against their will, except when competent authorities subject to judicial review determine, in accordance with applicable law and procedures, that such separation is necessary for the best interests of the child. … (4). Where such separation results from any action initiated by a State Party, such as the detention, imprisonment, exile, deportation or death (including death arising from any cause while the person is in the custody of the State) of one or both parents or of the child, that State Party shall, upon request, provide the parents, the child or, if appropriate, another member of the family with the essential information concerning the whereabouts of the absent member(s) of the family unless the provision of the information would be detrimental to the well-being of the child. …
[6] HRANA, Jan. 25, 2026, https://www.hra-news.org/2025/hranews/a-52894/
[7] Hengaw, Jan. 31, 2026, https://hengaw.net/fa/news/2026/01/article-230
[8] Kordpa, Jan. 17, 2026, https://kurdpa.net/fa/news/2026/01/68
[9] Article 3 (1). In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.
[10] Article 9 (1). States Parties shall ensure that a child shall not be separated from his or her parents against their will, except when competent authorities subject to judicial review determine, in accordance with applicable law and procedures, that such separation is necessary for the best interests of the child.
[11] Article 20 (1). A child temporarily or permanently deprived of his or her family environment, or in whose own best interests cannot be allowed to remain in that environment, shall be entitled to special protection and assistance provided by the State.
[12] Article 19 (2). Such protective measures should, as appropriate, include effective procedures for the establishment of social programmes to provide necessary support for the child and for those who have the care of the child, as well as for other forms of prevention and for identification, reporting, referral, investigation, treatment and follow-up of instances of child maltreatment described heretofore, and, as appropriate, for judicial involvement.
[13] Article 39 States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to promote physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of a child victim of: any form of neglect, exploitation, or abuse; torture or any other form of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; or armed conflicts. Such recovery and reintegration shall take place in an environment which fosters the health, self-respect and dignity of the child.
[14] HRANA, Feb. 19, 2025, https://www.hra-news.org/2025/hranews/a-53403/
[15] AFN News, Nov. 10, 2017, https://shorturl.at/F2QYk