State obligation and landmines: human rights of the disabled in the Islamic Republic of Iran

ABSTRACT

Many individuals in Iran continue to fall victim to landmine explosions, even decades after the Iran-Iraq war ended. While the Islamic Republic of Iran has made certain efforts to demine affected areas and establish a compensation system, individuals still suffer injuries from mines that the state has failed to remove or clear and struggle to get compensated following an incident. This research relies on data, case studies, legal analysis, and testimonies to provide a comprehensive assessment of the state’s victim compensation system. The findings reveal that the compensation process is lengthy and arduous, with state agencies prioritising the interests of the state over those of the victims and their families. Consequently, victims and their families are left in increasingly dire economic and psychological circumstances, as not all receive compensation, and those who do receive minimal amounts after significant delays. During this time, victims deplete their meagre savings, exacerbating their already precarious situations.

KEYWORDS:

• The Islamic Republic of Iran
• Iran-Iraq war
• landmines
• The Article 2 Commission
• human rights
• The Foundation of Martyrs and Veteran Affairs

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

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59 Note: 18 is considered an adult.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Shabnam Moinipour

Shabnam Moinipour is an expert in human rights in Iran. She earned her doctoral degree in human rights and media communications from the University of Westminster and holds an MA in theory and practice of human rights from the renowned Human Rights Centre at the University of Essex. Dr Moinipour has published numerous peer-reviewed articles in prestigious journals covering interdisciplinary Iran-related human rights issues, such as media, religious and ethnic minorities, children’s right to education, and refugee rights. She is also the author of the book Human Rights, Iranian Migrants, and State Media: From Media Portrayal to Civil Reality.

Leila Alikarami

Leila Alikarami is a well-recognised Iranian lawyer, human rights advocate, and women’s rights expert. In 2006, Leila, with other Iranian women’s rights activists, launched the One Million Signatures Campaign to end legal discrimination against Iranian women. She has been honoured by the European Union as a 2016 Sakharov Fellow in human rights and received the Anna Politkovskaya Award in 2009 from Reach All Women in War. She is a frequent speaker on women's rights and human rights and has published numerous articles in media worldwide. Her book, ‘Women, Law and Activism in Iran’ was published in 2019.