Iranian boy cruel punishment

An 8-year-old child caught stealing bread in a market of Iran is punished in a public face. His arm will be crushed and will lose its use permanently.

It is difficulty to make any definitive statement about Sharia/Islamic law since customs and enforcement can vary from region to region, but although the cutting off hands may sometimes be the prescribed maximum penalty for cases of theft under the strictest interpretations of Sharia, the Islamic law consistently note that such punishment shall not be applied to children who have not yet reached puberty not for the theft of small value items or food by the hungry.

It is noted however that Iranian news site, Peykelran confirmed that what the photographs actually depict is performers hustling money by staging a common street act, with no lasting harm done.

Regardless what the situation was, no child should have to go through what seems to be a dangerous stunt.