Iran's Female Executions Hit Historic High Amid Growing Human Rights Concerns

Tuesday 07 January 2025 - 09:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Iran's Female Executions Hit Historic High Amid Growing Human Rights Concerns

Iran's execution of women reached an unprecedented level in 2024, with 31 women put to death, according to a recent report by Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR). This marks the highest number of female executions since the organization began tracking such data in 2008.

The report reveals a disturbing pattern in Iran's judicial system, documenting 241 women executed between 2010 and 2024. The majority of these cases involved drug-related charges and murder convictions, with a striking 70% of women executed for murder having been convicted of killing a husband or partner, often in situations involving domestic violence.

IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam emphasized the systemic issues at play: "The execution of women in Iran not only reveals the brutal and inhumane nature of the death penalty but also exposes the deep-rooted gender discrimination and inequality within the judicial system."

A particularly troubling aspect of Iran's legal framework is the Islamic law of retribution, known as "qisas," which mandates a life for a life unless the victim's family grants forgiveness or accepts compensation. This rigid structure often prevents courts from considering mitigating circumstances, such as domestic abuse, during sentencing.

The case of Zahra Esmaili exemplifies the severity of Iran's execution practices. Esmaili, who was forced to marry her neighbor after becoming pregnant due to rape, was executed in 2021 for killing her husband, a ministry of intelligence official reportedly violent toward her and her children. In a particularly shocking development, authorities proceeded with her execution even after she suffered a fatal heart attack while being forced to witness group executions.

Current trends indicate an intensifying use of capital punishment, with October 2024 recording 166 executions - the highest monthly total in IHR's records. Several women, including Kurdish activists Varisheh Moradi and Pakhshan Azizi, currently face imminent execution.

The report highlights a concerning lack of transparency, with only 26% of women's executions being officially announced - a figure that has dropped to 12% in recent years. The Washington-based Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran reports that the country carried out at least 930 death sentences in 2024, up from 811 in 2023 and 579 in 2022, indicating a steady increase in executions.

Human rights activists argue that Iranian authorities are using capital punishment as a tool of social control, particularly following the nationwide protests of 2022-2023. The surge in executions, especially those targeting women, has raised significant international concern about human rights conditions in Iran.