Iran Sentences First Female Protester to Death Amid Escalating Crackdown
Iran is poised to execute its first female protester, Bita Hemmati, alongside her husband, Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl, as the regime intensifies its brutal suppression of anti-government demonstrations that erupted in January. This development marks a chilling escalation in Iran's use of capital punishment to quell dissent, with activists warning of a systematic campaign of repression.
Death Sentences Issued in Tehran Court
In a recent ruling, a Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by the notorious judge Imam Afshari, sentenced four individuals to death. Alongside Hemmati and Majidi-Asl, the court condemned Behrouz Zamaninejad and Kourosh Zamaninejad, who resided in the same Tehran building as the married couple. The convictions were based on allegations of carrying out actions on behalf of the United States, according to statements from the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) and the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center.
The defendants were accused of throwing concrete blocks from a residential building onto security forces in the capital. The exact date of the verdict remains unclear, but rights groups highlight that Hemmati is believed to be the first woman sentenced to death in connection with the protests. The Abdorrahman Boroumand Center further suggested that Hemmati may be the woman seen in a state television broadcast in January, being interrogated by judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei.
Forced Confessions and Human Rights Violations
Rights organizations have condemned the Iranian judiciary for broadcasting forced confessions, describing it as a blatant violation of defendants' rights. The Abdorrahman Boroumand Center stated, 'The recording and broadcasting of forced confessions from defendants in an opaque process... constitutes a blatant violation of the defendant's rights.' This practice is part of a broader strategy, with groups accusing the Islamic Republic of using the death penalty as a tool of repression to instil fear in society, particularly amid tensions with Israel and the United States.
Surge in Executions in 2025
A joint annual report released by Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) and Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM) reveals a staggering increase in executions. In 2025, at least 1,639 people were executed in Iran, including 48 women. This figure represents a 68 per cent rise from the 975 executions recorded in 2024, averaging more than four executions per day. The report notes that this is the highest number since IHR began tracking in 2008 and the most since 1989, during the early years of the Islamic revolution.
Among the women executed, 21 were put to death for the murder of their husbands or fiancés. Rights groups argue that many of these women were in abusive relationships, highlighting systemic issues in Iran's judicial process. The report underscores the regime's reliance on capital punishment as a means of political control.
Recent Executions of Protesters
Earlier this month, Iran executed Amirhossein Hatami, an 18-year-old musician, in the notorious Ghezel Hesar prison outside Tehran. Despite hopes for leniency due to his age, Hatami was arrested on January 8 and accused of arson at a Basij paramilitary base during protests. He was convicted of 'Moharebeh' ('Enmity Against God') and sentenced to death on February 7, with the judiciary announcing his execution on April 2.
Two days later, Mohammadamin Biglari, 19, and Shahin Vahedparast Kalour, 30, were also executed at Ghezel Hesar Prison. Their families were denied final visits or opportunities to say goodbye. Both men were seized during protests on January 8, accused of arson, and convicted of 'Moharebeh' by 'Death Judge' Abolghassem Salavati after weeks in detention, where torture is widely reported.
Ongoing Threats and International Condemnation
In addition to the seven already executed, death sentences have been issued against at least 26 other individuals arrested over the January protests, with hundreds more facing charges that could lead to execution. IHR has warned of a continued crackdown, with trials often conducted without due process. The New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran stated, 'Dozens of individuals arrested during the January 2026 protests have been sentenced to death following grossly unfair, fast-tracked trials conducted without due process, access to independent counsel and reliance on torture-tainted forced 'confessions' as evidence.'
As Iran ramps up its use of the death penalty, the international community faces growing calls to address these human rights abuses and hold the regime accountable for its actions against protesters.
