Hengaw documents new evidence in the femicide of 16-year-old Maryam Taghavi
Hengaw — Monday, November 17, 2025
Following a report published by Hengaw Persian on the killing of Maryam Taghavi, a teenage victim of child marriage murdered by her husband in Ajabshir, Hengaw has now obtained additional information that further clarifies the circumstances of the crime and the perpetrator’s prior history of violence.
Based on information obtained by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Taghavi, 16, was violently assaulted by her 27-year-old husband on Sunday, November 16, 2025, after he beat her repeatedly with a wooden stick. She was transferred to Khomeini Hospital in Ajabshir, where she died hours later from the severity of her injuries.
According to an informed source, the perpetrator had previously been married, and that marriage ended due to his domestic violence. He also had a history of abusive behaviour and physical assault throughout his marriage to Taghavi.
The perpetrator fled the scene after committing the crime but was arrested a few hours later.
Media outlets affiliated with the Iranian government have attempted to frame the killing of this 16-year-old girl as a case of “family dispute,” a narrative that aligns with the state’s misogynistic policies and its broader efforts to downplay structural violence against women.
Taghavi’s death reflects a systemic pattern. In the absence of legal protections and effective oversight, she became a victim of deadly violence at the hands of her 27-year-old husband. This killing is not a “family dispute” but a clear case of femicide and a direct consequence of child marriage and entrenched systemic violence against women under the discriminatory legal framework of the Islamic Republic of Iran, where gender-based violence remains normalised and widespread.
Child marriage remains legal and widespread in many parts of Iran. Current laws set the minimum marriage age for girls at 13, and even younger with judicial approval, enabling serious violations of children’s rights and exposing them to domestic violence, exploitation, and physical and psychological abuse.
