Iran Sentences First Woman to Death Over Anti-Regime Protests
Iranian authorities have issued death sentences for four individuals accused of participating in anti-government protests earlier this year, marking a significant escalation in the regime's crackdown on dissent. Among those condemned is Bita Hemmati, who becomes the first woman to face execution in connection with the widespread demonstrations that erupted across the country in January.
Details of the Sentences
According to a news release from the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Hemmati has been convicted on multiple charges including using explosives and weapons, throwing objects such as concrete blocks and bottles, and "harming stationed forces on-site." The judiciary also listed "participating in protest gatherings," "sending content with the aim of undermining security," and "chanting protest slogans" as crimes connected to "disrupting national security" and "hostile groups."
Hemmati's husband, Mohammadreza Majid Asl, received the same death sentence alongside two other men: Behrouz Zamaninezhad and Kourosh Zamaninezhad, both of whom lived in the same apartment building as the couple. A fifth defendant, Amir Hemmati, identified as a relative of the couple, was sentenced to five years of discretionary imprisonment for "assembly and collusion against national security," plus an additional eight months for "propaganda against the regime."
Concerns Over Forced Confessions
A source close to the family revealed that all five individuals were arrested during the same raid in Tehran. Iran's government accused them of "operational action for the hostile government of the United States and hostile groups," according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). The agency reported concerns that the defendants were "subjected to pressure" during interrogations, raising alarms about possible forced confessions. No execution date has been announced yet.
International Calls for Intervention
The NCRI has issued a statement urging immediate action from the United Nations, relevant international bodies, and human rights defenders to save the lives of prisoners sentenced to death, particularly political prisoners and those detained during the uprising. This appeal comes amid growing international scrutiny of Iran's human rights record.
Background of the Protests
The protests in Iran were initially triggered by a series of strikes by shopkeepers and market merchants in Tehran in late December. The movement quickly spread, with residents, students, and other groups joining forces in one of the largest protest movements the capital has witnessed in recent years. The regime's response has been severe, resulting in thousands killed or injured and tens of thousands arrested or detained.
Execution Statistics and Warnings
Iranian authorities executed at least 1,639 people in 2025, the highest number since 1989, according to a joint report from Iran Human Rights and Together Against the Death Penalty. This staggering figure averages more than four executions per day. The report warned that the regime might increase executions this year following the January protests and ongoing conflicts with the United States and Israel, suggesting that if the Islamic republic "survives the current crisis, there is a serious risk that executions will be used even more extensively as a tool of oppression and repression."
