According to Iran Human Rights, approximately 70% of women executed for murder had killed their male partners, frequently in acts of desperation after enduring prolonged abuse. In 2024, at least 31 women were executed in Iran—the highest number in 17 years—many of whom faced charges stemming from situations like domestic violence or forced marriage. These cases underscore how the Iranian judicial system often disregards the lived realities of women, punishing them harshly without adequately considering the contexts of their actions or the traumas they have endured.

The death penalty sentence of political prisoners, including those of the three women, are part of a broader strategy by the Islamic Republic to quash dissent and suppress any opposition to the government. The regime has increasingly used the death penalty as a tool to intimidate protesters and activists, using the threat of execution to create an atmosphere of fear and silence those who speak out against it. Feminists argue that the criminalization of political activism and the subsequent use of the death penalty reflects a patriarchal attempt to control and erase the voices of women who dare to oppose the regime.

One of the most disturbing aspects of the Islamic Republic’s use of the death penalty is the lack of due process and the frequent reliance on forced confessions extracted under torture. Political prisoners are often denied access to legal counsel and subjected to sham trials, which violate international standards of justice. In many cases, the “confessions” used to convict individuals are obtained under duress, highlighting the regime’s systematic disregard for human rights.

The death penalty in Iran is disproportionately applied to members of ethnic and religious minorities. As noted in the case of the three women, those facing execution are often part of marginalized communities, which have historically faced systemic discrimination in Iranian society. These minorities, including Kurds, Baloch, Turks, Arabs and other nationality and ethnics communities, are often targeted by the regime for their involvement in political activism, and the death penalty is used as a means of further suppressing their voices.

The intersection of gender and minority status makes the experience of facing the death penalty even more complex for individuals like Mohammadi, Azizi, and Moradi. These women, as members of minority communities, are subject not only to gender-based violence but also to ethnic and political persecution. Their executions would serve as a warning to other women and minority communities that resistance to the regime is not tolerated.

The use of forced confessions extracted under torture is a hallmark of the Iranian judicial system, particularly when it comes to political prisoners. The regime often uses these confessions to justify the death penalty, despite their inherent unreliability. For instance, the cases of Mohammadi, Azizi, and Moradi are likely to involve confessions that were coerced under duress, and the trials that led to their death sentences were marred by serious due process violations. Feminist scholars argue that these confessions are particularly problematic when applied to women, as they often involve the criminalization of women’s political agency. In the case of the three women, their participation in the Woman, Life, Freedom protests was not only a political act but a direct challenge to the patriarchal control that the regime seeks to maintain. The forced confessions extracted from them serve to criminalize their resistance, effectively punishing them for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association.

The execution of political prisoners in Iran, especially women, is a gross violation of international human rights law. Iran’s continued use of the death penalty for political crimes is condemned by international organizations, including Amnesty International and Human rights watch and United Nation Human Right Council which have repeatedly called for the abolition of the death penalty and the release of political prisoners.

However, international governments, particularly those engaged in diplomatic relations with the Iranian regime, have largely remained silent in the face of these executions. The silence of the international community only serves to embolden the Iranian government, allowing it to continue its brutal campaign against dissent.

Feminist activists and human rights organizations argue that global pressure must be applied to Iran to end the use of the death penalty for political dissidents. Governments must speak out against these executions and demand an end to the systemic persecution of women and minorities in Iran. The international community must hold the Iranian regime accountable for its violations of human rights, particularly its abuse of the death penalty as a tool of political repression.

The increasing use of the death penalty in Iran as a means to silence political dissent and marginalize women is a deeply troubling practice of Islamic Republic of Iran. The cases of Pakhshan Azizi, Sharifeh Mohammadi, and Varisheh Moradi highlight the intersection of gender, politics, and state violence, with the death penalty being used as a tool to maintain patriarchal control and suppress women’s rights. Feminist activists and human rights organizations must continue to push for the abolition of the death penalty in Iran and for the release of political prisoners who have been unjustly sentenced.

The struggle for women’s rights in Iran is intrinsically linked to the fight for justice and human rights for all. The death penalty sentence for political prisoners, particularly women, are not just a violation of individual rights but a direct attack on the feminist movements that are challenging the oppressive structures of power in Iran. It is time for the international community to act, to demand an abolition and an end to executions, and to support the women and men who continue to fight for freedom, dignity, and equality in Iran.

In conclusion, the death penalty in Iran, particularly as it relates to all political prisoners and women, is not only a matter of legal justice but one of feminist struggle. The execution sentence of Azizi, Mohammadi, and Moradi highlight the intersection of state violence, gender inequality, and political repression, and the fight to end these death penalty sentences is a fight for justice, equality, and human rights. Feminists, both within Iran, in Iranian diaspora and internationally, must continue to demand abolition of the death penalty in Iran. Abolishing the death penalty is not just a legal reform, it is a commitment to a more humane and hopeful tomorrow.