West Islamabad; Referral of the case of the child victim of acid attack to the forensic medicine
Mahan Askari, a child living in West Islamabad, was the victim of an acid attack on her way to school in April 2018, when she was only 11 years old, and she lost her life in July of this year. The medical file of this acid attack victim has been referred to the forensic medicine and it is said that if the forensic medicine announces the cause of death and confirms the direct or indirect effect of acid attack on his death, this case will be considered as premeditated murder. Acid is one of the few products whose market for buying and selling has never been booming in the country. In addition to the ease of access and supply of acid in Iranian markets, the lack of adequate preventive laws has also confirmed the persistence of the crime called “acid attack”.
According to HRANA News Agency, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, the medical file of Mahan Askari, a child victim of acid attack, was referred to forensic medicine.
Mahan Askari was attacked with acid on her way to school in April 2018, when she was only 11 years old. The attacker, who had covered his face, fled the scene on a motorbike with the help of another person, but was later arrested by police. The attacker was a 23-year-old man who worked in a car repair shop at the time of the incident and had picked up the acid from his workplace.
Mahan Askari, who suffered burns to her face, part of her head, and the back of her body, died on July 12 of this year after undergoing dozens of reconstructive surgeries. According to an informed source, after this incident, the child's lymph nodes suffered serious damage and her immune system was weakened, and she eventually died.
It is said that if the forensic doctor announces the cause of death and confirms the direct or indirect effect of acid attack on her death, the case will be considered a murder.
Mahan's father had previously expressed his dismay in a report about the lack of preventive laws regarding acid attacks and the lack of support organizations for acid attack victims.
Acid is one of the few products whose market has never waned in the country. In addition to the ease of access and supply of acid in Iranian markets, the lack of adequate preventive laws has also contributed to the persistence of the crime known as “acid throwing.”
Although a law was passed in 1955 to punish the crime of acid throwing, and in addition, the general provisions of the Islamic Penal Code can be used to criminalize this inhumane act, evidence and circumstantial evidence indicate the ineffectiveness of existing laws in preventing it.
In late May 2019, five of the seven articles of the bill to increase punishment for acid attacks and support victims were approved by the representatives in a public session of the parliament. After amendments were made to the articles of this bill, on October 11, 2019, the representatives of the Islamic Consultative Assembly reviewed and amended the bill to increase punishment for acid attacks and support victims, which had been returned from the Guardian Council, in a public session. In November 2019, this law, after being approved by the Guardian Council, was notified to the Ministry of Justice for implementation.
Source: HRANA
