Iranian authorities have sentenced a female protester and her husband to death, marking what rights groups say could be the first execution of a woman linked to recent protests in the country.
The development comes amid an ongoing crackdown following demonstrations earlier this year, which authorities forcefully suppressed. Reports indicate that several people have already been executed in connection with the protests, with thousands detained.
According to statements from rights organisations, a court in Tehran handed down death sentences to Bita Hemmati and her husband, Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl, alongside two other men, Behrouz Zamaninejad and Kourosh Zamaninejad.
Hemmati is believed to be the first woman sentenced to death over the protests.
The four individuals were convicted on allegations of acting on behalf of foreign entities, including the United States, as reported by the Human Rights Activists News Agency and the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center.
Authorities accused them of attacking security forces by throwing concrete blocks from a residential building during unrest in the capital.
The Abdorrahman Boroumand Center also stated that Hemmati may have appeared in a televised video in January, where she was shown being interrogated by Iran’s judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei.
The organisation criticised the broadcast, describing it as a violation of due process and the rights of the accused, particularly where confessions may have been coerced.
Human rights groups have long accused the Islamic Republic of using capital punishment as a tool to suppress dissent and instil fear. They have raised concerns that executions could increase further amid heightened tensions involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.
In a joint report, Norway-based Iran Human Rights and Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty said at least 1,639 people have been executed in Iran in 2025, including 48 women.
The report noted that many women executed for killing spouses or relatives were believed to have been in abusive relationships.
Overall, the number of executions represents a sharp increase compared to 2024 figures and marks the highest level recorded since monitoring began in 2008, highlighting growing concerns among international observers over the use of the death penalty in Iran.