Victim of child marriage in Iran dies of wounds after self-immolation, human rights groups claim

Jerusalem Post/Middle East/Iran NewsUnder Article 1041 of the Iranian Civil Code, girls under 13 and boys under 15 can legally marry with the consent of a paternal legal guardian and court approval, with no absolute minimum age set.Follow us on GoogleIslamic Republic of Iran and the Middle East and Central Asia as seen on a vintage globe, November 14, 2024(photo credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)ByDANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARDAUGUST 7, 2026 15:49Updated: AUGUST 7, 2026 15:52A young victim of child marriage died earlier this week in Iran, 11 days after she set fire to herself in Piranshahr in Iran’s West Azerbaijan province, according to reports by Iranian media and human rights groups.Soma Moghaddi, 18, reportedly set herself on fire after years of abuse from her spouse, according to HRANA News Agency, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran. It is unclear how old she was at the time of her marriage.The self-immolation left Moghaddi with burns on 90% of her body, and Iranian media reported that she was transferred from the Piranshahr City Medical Center to the Imam Khomeini Hospital in Urmia for treatment, but passed away despite efforts to save her.A mural of Mahsa Amini painted by Chilean-American artist Rodrigo Pradel in collaboration with Yasi Farazad, his Iranian-American friend, is pictured in Washington, United States in this undated handout picture. (credit: Yasi Farazad/Handout via REUTERS)Being married as a child 'inflict[s] irreparable damage'Multiple Iranian media sites, including khabarfoori and Rokna, have reported that there are rumors that Moghaddi’s husband may have been involved in the incident, though judiciary authorities have not commented on the case.“The physical and psychological harms resulting from child marriage inflict irreparable damage on the lives of these children,” HRANA said in a statement. “These harms include pregnancies under the age of 18, maternal mortality, depression, suicide attempts, divorce, failure to complete education, and the perpetuation of the cycle of cultural and economic poverty.”Under Article 1041 of the Iranian Civil Code, girls under 13 and boys under 15 can legally marry with the consent of a paternal legal guardian and court approval, with no absolute minimum age set for marriage.Follow us on Google