We, the undersigned mental health practitioners – psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors – from all around the world, would like to express our deepest concerns about the brutality of the Islamic Republic of Iran against children and students, under the legal age, in Iran.  We are asking for immediate action from all international children’s rights organizations to intervene to put a stop to the following systematic and continued incidents: 

1-    Killing child protesters both inside and outside of schools

2-    Arresting, beating, and murdering parents in front of their children

3-    Military attacks on schools: beating and arresting students that, in some cases, have led to death

4-    Forceful referrals of protesting students to government-affiliated psychiatry and psychology centers for medication and counseling for “mental health problems”.

5-    Stigmatizing students with mental health disorders that,  according to international law, such as the stipulation in Article 7(1)(k) of the Rome Statute, is an inhumane act intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to the body or to the mental or physical health and is considered a crime against humanity

6-    Creating an atmosphere of terror in schools by threatening students with arrest, torture, and execution by the principals who are supposed to be protecting students from harm 

These cruel behaviors, invasions, and attacks on schools have greatly endangered students’ mental health.  The feeling of insecurity and pervasive anxiety among children is the first direct result of these attacks.  The attacks have turned schools into unsafe places where students have to spend hours every day.  

The forced and unnecessary referral of protesting students to psychiatrists and psychologists for medication and counseling has greatly impacted their mental health. Stigmatizing students with mental health disorders directly threatens the mental health of individuals and society.  In addition to individual psychological problems such as chronic and/or acute PTSD, this action causes long-term psychosocial damage to all children. 

Each and every one of the above systematic and continued brutalities violates children's fundamental need and entitlement to special safeguard and care by reason of their physical and mental immaturity.

 

Recalling that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that children are entitled to special care and assistance, and the said entitlement to extended care to children stretches back to:

 

-     the Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child of 1924,

-     the Declaration of the Rights of the Child adopted by the General Assembly on 20 November 1959,

-     the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (in particular articles 23 and 24),

-     the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (in particular in article 10), and

-     other relevant instruments of specialized agencies and international organizations concerned with the welfare of children, and

 

Observing that the Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted by the General Assembly, has been adopted (signed on 5 September 1991 and subsequently ratified on 13 July 1994) by Iran,

 

we, the undersigned, representing a big community specializing in diverse child psychology, psychiatry, and education, cordially and insistently urge you to employ all the available means to make the Iranian regime stop the brutality against children and students.

 

With all due respect,

Rosa Khorshidi, LMFT. USA- Susan Johnson, PsyD. ICEEFT Director, Canada-Joanne Hands, LMFT. Director of MEPA, Kuwait- Mark White, LMFT. USA George Faller, LMFT. USA-Shimah Hajmohammadi ,Psychologist. Canada-Shokoofeh Oyarhossein, MFT. Iran-Jennifer Leigh, Clinical psychologist, USA-Ann Susan Brenner, LMFT. USA-Karen MacKenzie LICSW. USA -Caitlin Pittel, Psy.D. USA- Fariba Abedi, Clinical Psychologist, Iran- Rebecca Brooks, LICSW. USA- Nancy Knudsen, LMFT. USA- Tracy Starr, LMFT. USA- AnaLinda Marcus, LMFT. USA- Elizabeth G Brenner, LICSW.  USA- Maria Rose, LICSW. USA- Miriam Ervin, LMHC. USA- Hamraz Bakhtiari, Clinical Psychologist, Iran- Leona Sousa, PPSC, LCSW. USA- Irene Oudyk-Suk, MSW. Canada- Mary Luard, MSW. Canada- Shaheen Karmali, MSW.  Canada- Ellice Strikwerda, MSW. Canada- Karen Bollum, MSW. Canada- Charlene Remenda-Madra, MSW.  Canada- Murray Armstrong, MSW. Canada- Sanaz Mohammadmirza, Psychologist, Iran- Beth Waks, LMFT.  USA- Renata Logan, Psychologist, Canada- Elizabeth Zimmerman, LMFT.  USA- Elana Katz, LCSW, USA- Jay Seif-Haron, Psy.D.  USA- Dennis Brown, Psychologist. Canada- Marci Copes-Genereux, MSW. Canada- Hassan Mirzahosseini, Psychologist, Iran- Mehrandokht Pourshayegan, MFT, USA- Shiva Berjis, LMFT. USA- Lisa Pierce, LICSW.  USA- Karen Vedus, LMFT. USA- Caitlin Edwards, LMFT. USA- Shane Smith, Psychologist. Canada- Lauren Fiamelli, MSW. Canada- Janel Fox, LMHC. USA- Jean Shirkoff, LICSW.  USA- Ron Goldman, Psychologist.  USA- Dianna Weiss-Wisdom, Psychologist.  USA- Sarah McConnell, LMFT.  UK- Ruth Jampol, Psychologist. USA- Sarah Dawlati, LICSW.  USA- Qays Munir, MD.  USA- Penny Hartsen, RCSW. Canada- Cheryl Cooper, LMFT.  USA- Maryam Dalili, LMFT. USA- Ursula Rogers, LMFT. USA- Ethan Kaste, Counselor. USA- Saideh Kaivani, Psy.D.  USA- Christopher White, LMFT. USA- Anji Citron, LICSW. USA- Judith Kuskin, LCSW. USA- Sandra Lillie, Psychologist. USA- Dale Bertram, LMFT. USA- Mark Kaupp, LMFT. USA- Rev. Jillian Froebe, USA- Christine Weiß, Psychologist. Germany- Mohammadreza Mohsenirad, Psychologist.  Iran- Matthew Fogarti, LMHC. USA- Maureen Sweeny Romain, LMHC. USA- Aleksandra Plocha, Psychologist. USA- Margaret Manning Shull, LMHC. USA- Sharon Horne, Psychologist. USA- Lila Sideras, LPC.  USA- Noshene Ranjbar, MD.  USA- Mark Tucker, LMFT.  USA- Kate Tiedemann, LMFT. USA- Amber Ray, LPCC. USA- Heidi McKinney, LMFT.  USA- Hamid Amanatkar, MD. USA- Natalie Campos, PsyD. USA- Krystal Handy, LMFT. USA- Courtney Scheunemann. PsyD. USA- Jamila Charles-Cometa, LMFT. USA- Hengameh Behzadnia, Psychologist. Iran- Hendrik Weiß, Psychologist.  Germany- Ryan Ross, LCSW. USA- Pamela Torre, LICSW. USA- Satina Conforti, LPC. USA- Eva Bigonet, LICSW. USA- Elizabeth Charter, LICSW. USA- Lyssa Bayne-Kim, LICSW. USA- Laura Burnham, LICSW. USA- Albert Tecci, LMFT. USA- Holly Parker, Psychologist.  USA- Rita Siavelis, LMFT. USA- Bob Miller, Psychologist. USA-Elizabeth Johnston, LICSW. USA- Lisa Pierce, LICSW. USA- Nadia Delshad, PsyD. USA-Heidi Bercovici, LMFT. USA