A Woman Victim of Child Marriage Executed in Ahar Prison, Iran

Hengaw: Sunday, October 6, 2024

The death sentence of a female prisoner named Akhtar Ghorbanloo, who had previously been sentenced to death by the Iranian judiciary on charges of “premeditated murder,” has been carried in Ahar Prison. This woman, a victim of child marriage, was arrested and sentenced to death for the murder of her husband.

According to a report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the death sentence of Akhtar Ghorbanloo, a victim of child marriage and forced marriage, was carried out on Tuesday morning, October 1, 2024,  in the Central Prison of Ahar, East Azerbaijan Province.

According to sources, she was forced into marriage at the age of 17  with a man who was 18 years older than her. She was ultimately arrested for allegedly murdering her husband by drugging and was then sentenced to death by the Iranian judiciary.

To date, the news of the execution of this prisoner has not been announced by the Iranian state media, particularly those affiliated with the judiciary.

Child marriage has become a legal norm in Iran, promoted by the propaganda apparatus of the Islamic Republic, while in democratic countries and according to human rights standards, any form of sexual or sentimental relationship between adults and children is considered a serious crime that is subject to severe penalties. Under Islamic family law, providing sexual services to the husband is deemed a duty of women. This means that sexual assault against children and women within the framework of “legal marriage” in Iran is sanctioned by the Islamic Republic and is even actively promoted.