In a recently published report, Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) has identified that at least 31 women were executed under Islamic law in 2024, marking a 17-year high. This grim statistic underscores a troubling trend where the execution rates are rising, particularly affecting female prisoners. According to the report, approximately 70% of these women were accused of murdering their male partners, often within the framework of abusive and coercive marriages, which sometimes involved underaged brides.
The Iranian judiciary, as dictated by Sharia law, does not acknowledge circumstances like spousal abuse or marital rape as mitigating factors. Moreover, the nation’s legal system, which follows qisas or retributive justice, allows the victim’s family to choose between execution, forgiveness, or diyya (blood money), thereby fueling the spike in capital punishment for women.
The impact of Iran’s anti-narcotics law further amplifies these gender disparities. While reforms in 2017 initially decreased drug-related executions, recent years have witnessed a resurgence, with women disproportionately represented among those executed despite often playing minor roles in the offenses. These issues are compounded by the opacity of Iran’s judicial systems, where only a fraction of women’s executions are publicly reported, leaving the fate of many on death row shrouded in secrecy.
Iran’s escalating use of capital punishment stands in violation of Article 6(2) of the ICCPR, which mandates that the death penalty should be reserved for the most heinous crimes. In response, international bodies such as the UN and various rights groups have criticized Iran for its execution practices. For example, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, in August, strongly encouraged Iran to impose a moratorium on executions, echoing sentiments expressed by other UN experts in September.
Additionally, the internal political landscape is being shaped by calls from dissident leaders, such as Maryam Rajavi of the People’s Mujahedin of Iran (MEK), advocating for a future free from capital punishment and other inhumane practices. In the wake of initiatives like the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement and legislative actions such as the “Noor Plan“, the systemic targeting of women in Iran through the death penalty has intensified.
This ongoing crisis in Iran must be addressed not only by the Iranian authorities but also by the international community to push for reforms that respect human rights and equality. The detailed report can be accessed on Jurist for further insight into the situation.