Challenges of Enforcing Custody Decisions in Iran and Legal Solutions to Ensure the Return of the Child
Subject Areas : Family LawFatima Moeil 1 , Fatemeh Mahdavi 2
1 - Master's student in Private Law, Department of Law, Faculty of Humanities, Qaimshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qaimshahr, Iran.
2 - Assistant Professor of Private Law, Department of Law, Faculty of Humanities, Qaimshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qaimshahr, Iran.
Keywords: Custody, child return, enforcement of judgments, family rights, family protection law, do no harm rule.,
Abstract :
The enforcement of custody judgments in the Iranian legal system, despite the existence of legal enforcement guarantees provided in Articles 40 and 41 of the 2012 Family Protection Act and the provisions of Chapter Nine of the Civil Judgments Enforcement Act, continues to face serious challenges. Delays in the return of the child, refusal by a parent to surrender custody, the absence of specialized enforcement bodies, and ambiguity regarding the manner of cooperation by law enforcement authorities are among the most significant problems.This article, employing a descriptive–analytical method and drawing upon Imami jurisprudential sources, statutory laws, and judicial practice, examines the existing obstacles and proposes solutions to ensure the effective enforcement of custody judgments. In this regard, the jurisprudential foundations for compulsory restitution of the child, based on the principles of “no harm” (lā ḍarar) and “protection of the child” (ḥifẓ al‑walad), are explained, and comparative legal mechanisms as well as international instruments, such as the 1980 Hague Convention, are analyzed.The findings indicate that the lack of executive bylaws, the absence of effective criminal enforcement measures, and the nonexistence of family mediation authorities are key factors contributing to the weakness in the enforcement of custody judgments in Iran.
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