Suicide of a 17-Year-Old Girl in Harsin Following Forced Marriage Pressure

Hengaw: Wednesday, September 27, 2023.
 

Parya Takestanizadeh Wermaleh, a 17-year-old girl from Harsin city in Kermanshah (Kermashan), took her own life in response to the unbearable pressure imposed by her family for a forced marriage.
 

According to the report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, on Sunday, September 24, 2023, Parya Takestanizadeh Wermaleh, a native of Harsin, ended her life after resisting a forced marriage arranged with her cousin.
 

Parya, who had lost her father, was under the guardianship of her grandfather. It was this very grandfather who subjected her to overwhelming pressure to accept the forced marriage, leading her to commit suicide.
 

On Monday, September 25th, Parya Takestanizadeh Wermaleh was buried in one of Harsin's cemeteries.
 

The practice of allowing fathers and paternal grandfathers to determine a daughter's marriage, as permitted by Islamic jurisprudence, combined with the lack of effective legal mechanisms to intervene in such situations, contributes to the vulnerability of girls, particularly in cases of underage marriages in Iran. This tragic incident underscores the urgent need for reforms to protect the rights and well-being of young girls facing forced marriages.