Iran: Islamist regime executes woman who was a victim of child marriage

The Iranian justice system sentenced a woman to death Wednesday. Sami Sabzian, who suffered from a forced marriage when she was a minor and, according to the NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR), also suffered abuse from her husband.

The decision comes after Sabzian spent 10 years in prison. The sentence was for the crime of homicide against her husband and abuser. The sentence was established through the "qisas" system of Islamist justice, which functions as a kind of retaliation law.

According to IHR, Samira was married off at just 15 years of age without her consent. As a result of that marriage, she gave birth to two children, whom she did not see for 10 years as a result of her arrest.

"Samira was a victim of years of gender apartheid, child marriage, and domestic violence, and today she fell victim to the incompetent and corrupt regime’s killing machine. A regime that has sustained itself solely through killing and instilling fear. Ali Khamenei and other leaders of the Islamic Republic must be held accountable for this crime," said IHR Director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam.

Sabzian is the 18th woman executed in Iran this year. In 2022, there were at least 16. With these numbers, Iran leads the world in death sentences for women. Between 2010 and 2021, IHR estimates the total number of women executed by the Islamist country at 164.

An IHR study shows that 52% of death sentences are for accusations of drug-related crimes. Murder of a spouse is the second most common motive, at 37%. Another 9% of these executions occurred for unclear reasons.