More than 20 days after the arrest of 15-year-old Elina Validi along with her parents, Hamed Validi and Fatemeh, the family remains completely unaware of her whereabouts or condition. Despite assurances from security authorities that Elina would be transferred to a juvenile correction center in time to sit for her end-of-year school exams in June, she has not been delivered to the facility, and her name is not listed among those present.
According to informed sources, Elina’s mother, Fatemeh, is being held in inhumane conditions in the quarantine ward of Fardis Prison in Karaj. She has been denied basic rights afforded to detainees, including phone calls, family visits, and access to financial or sanitary resources.
The most urgent concern, however, remains the fate of Elina Validi. At a critical age, she is now in state custody without any confirmed information about her location or condition. Sources close to the family report that judicial officials have refused to respond to repeated inquiries and have not disclosed where she is being held or whether she is physically and mentally safe.
Vague Charges of “Propaganda Against the Regime”
The family has reportedly been accused of “propaganda against the regime”—a broad and ambiguous charge frequently used in Iran’s political and national security cases. Such accusations are often leveled without presenting verifiable evidence and routinely result in detention, denial of legal rights, and harsh conditions of confinement.
This case raises heightened concern given its circumstances: the simultaneous arrest of an entire family, the forced separation of a minor from her parents, and the complete lack of information regarding her situation. These actions not only violate Iran’s domestic legal standards concerning the treatment of minors and detainees, but also constitute clear violations of international human rights law.
