Child Bride Sets Herself On Fire in Iran Due To Spousal Abuse
A teenage girl who was a victim of child marriage set herself on fire in southeastern Iran due to "domestic violence" and “lack of support by her own family”.
A teenage girl who was a victim of child marriage set herself on fire in southeastern Iran due to "domestic violence" and “lack of support by her own family”.
The 17-year-old girl, who was identified as F. Marandegani, killed herself on Wednesday in the Bampur County in the Sistan and Baluchistan province, a website for local Baluch activists reported.
The report said she was physically and mentally abused and her husband frequently beat her.
This is the second case of self-immolation of a Baluch child bride in the past few months.
The campaign of Baluch activists reported a similar case in December. The self-immolation victim was 16 years old and was also harassed by her spouse.
In February, a 17-year-old wife and mother of a three-year-old, Mona Heydari, was beheaded by her husband in a case of 'honor killing'.
According to figures published by Iran Statistical Center (ISC), child marriage is rising in Iran, with 9,750 girls aged 10-14 officially wed in a three-month period.
Another report said that the numbers published by ISC reflected only registered marriages and not unregistered ones, which are common in rural areas.
In the Islamic law (or Sharia), the minimum age of marriage for girls is 13 and for boys 15.
