Identifying the gaps in fair trials for children and ensuring the beating heart of children's criminal rights (differentiated trial and the right to be heard by children)

Background and Objective: The right to be heard by children is mentioned in Article ۱۲ of the ۱۹۸۹ Convention on the Rights of the Child. Since the scope of this right is wide and takes on a specific manifestation at each stage of the criminal proceedings, it is necessary to carefully understand the regulations to what extent children benefit from this right in the criminal proceedings process. Method: This research is theoretical and the research method is descriptive-analytical and the method of collecting information is library-based and was carried out by referring to documents, books and articles. Ethical considerations: In the present research, the principles of trustworthiness, honesty, impartiality and originality of the work have been observed. Findings and Conclusion: The necessity of establishing specialized judicial authorities and special regulations in the process of handling their cases has also been mentioned in conventions and other international documents. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (۱۹۸۹ Convention) in Article ۴۰, Section ۳, Part 'B', emphasizes the need to establish special courts for children and adolescents in light of a differentiated criminal policy and a dedicated trial system. This approach has also emerged in Iran in recent years. The ۱۳۹۲ Criminal Procedure Code has established new institutions such as a special court for children, a juvenile court, a juvenile police, and a requirement to file a personality file, thus providing for a differentiated system. This article, using a descriptive-analytical research method in two separate sections, has examined the