In a shocking turn of events, Samira Sabzian, a woman convicted of murdering her husband whom she was forced to marry as a child, was executed in Iran, defying global calls for clemency.
The execution took place at dawn in Ghezel Hesar prison in the Tehran satellite city of Karaj, as reported by Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR).
By Lot Sunday
Sabzian, who spent the past decade behind bars, faced the death penalty, reigniting concerns over Iran’s escalating number of executions in 2023. Notably, the country has witnessed a surge in hangings, predominantly on charges related to drugs and murder, including over a dozen women.
IHR disclosed that Sabzian – a “child bride” – had married her husband at the age of 15, subsequently becoming a victim of domestic violence, according to her relatives.
The UN High Commissioner on Human Rights expressed alarm over the execution and emphasized the coercion Sabzian faced when forced into marriage at the tender age of 15.
Despite international outcry, the execution has not been reported by Iranian media, adding to the concerns surrounding transparency in the country’s justice system. Sabzian’s arrest occurred approximately a decade ago when she was 19 when she was charged with the murder of her husband, leading to her subsequent death sentence.
The case has drawn attention to broader issues of gender apartheid, child marriage, and domestic violence, with IHR director Mahmood-Amiry Moghaddam condemning the Iranian regime’s actions as a product of incompetence and corruption.
Alarm has however been sounded over the surge in executions in Iran, citing at least 115 individuals that was put to death in November alone. The international community, including the British government, has urgently called on Iranian authorities to establish a moratorium on executions so as to address systemic issues and end the appalling treatment of women and girls.
