Hengaw’s Monthly Report on Women’s Rights Violations in Iran, July 2024

Hengaw: Monday, August 5, 2024

Based on the statistics registered in the Statistics and Documents Center of the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, During July 2024, at least five women were executed in the prisons of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Additionally, 22 women activists were arrested, and five women activists were sentenced to imprisonment by the judicial system. Furthermore, two women activists were sentenced to death. Last month, at least 20 cases of femicide were recorded in different cities of Iran, with 25% of these murders motivated by the pretext of honor.

The death sentences carried out for women in Iran:

According to this report, in July 2024, at least five female prisoners were executed in the prisons of the Islamic Republic of Iran. One woman was executed on the charge of premeditated murder, and four women were executed on drug-related charges.

Three of these executions took place in Birjand Central Prison, the capital of South Khorasan Province. The remaining two executions were recorded in Khorram Abad and Shiraz prisons.

Arrest of 22 women in July:

According to Hengaw’s statistics, during July 2024, at least 22 women activists were arrested in different cities across Iran, accounting for 24% of the total number of people arrested this month. Their names are as follows:

Rasht:
1. Zahra Dadres
2. Zohreh Dadres
3. Forough Samiyan
4. Azadeh Chavoshian
5. Jeloh Javaheri
6. Metin Yazdani

Tehran:
7. Mozhgan Salmanzadeh
8. Moulud Safai
9. Parvin Muslimi
10. Ra'na Korkuri

Lahijan:
11. Sara Jahani
12. Shiva Siah Siah

Saqqez:
13. Dlovan Sharifi

Bukan:
14. Solmaz Hassanzadeh

Piranshahr:
15. Fatima Paimard

Paveh:
16. Farideh Veisi

Shushtar:
17. Iran Sharifi

Golestan:
18. Marzieh Rigidadres

Fuman:
19. Nagin Rezaei

Bandar Anzali:
20. Yasmin Hashdri

Ferdis:
21. Nahid Behrouzi

Karaj:
22. Zara Esmaili

Imprisonment Sentences for Women Activists:

In July 2024, at least five women activists were sentenced to a total of 14 years and 8 months in prison across different cities in Iran. Additionally, Pakhshan Azizi and Sharifeh Mohammadi were sentenced to death by the judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The names and sentences of the women are as follows:

    1.    Motaherah Guney from Tehran: sentenced to one year of suspended imprisonment.
    2.    Sharifeh Mohammadi, a Turkish activist from Rasht: sentenced to death.
    3.    Neda Fetuhi from Tehran: sentenced to 6 years and 8 months in prison.
    4.    Dnia Ghalibaf from Tehran: sentenced to 2 years in prison.
    5.    Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish activist from Mahabad: sentenced to death and 4 years in prison.
    6.    Hora Nikbakht from Tehran: sentenced to 1 year of imprisonment.

In the Islamic Republic of Iran, arresting and convicting women is a common practice of discrimination. The pressure on female activists increased during the Women, Life, Freedom (Jin, Jiyan, Azadi) movement. In its institutionalized form, the Islamic Republic has consistently worked to limit women's access to social, political, and human rights arenas. Gender apartheid policies in Iran are evident in the forms of sexual and gender segregation policies, as well as the criminalization of sexual and gender minorities' identities, which marginalizes them.

20 cases of femicide were recorded in July

During July 2024, at least 20 women were killed in different cities of Iran, with 18 of them murdered by people close to them, including husbands, fathers, ex-husbands, and sons-in-law.

- By perpetrators:
  - 9 women were killed by their husbands.
  - 3 women were killed by their fathers.
  - 6 women were killed by their ex-husband, grandson, sister's husband, cousin, son, and suitor, respectively.
  - 2 women were killed by unknown individuals.

- Motivations:
  - Out of 20 femicides, 5 cases (25%) were motivated by so-called "honor."
  - 9 women were killed due to family disputes.
  - 2 women were killed with the motive of theft.
  - 1 woman was killed due to financial disputes.
  - 1 woman was killed due to child custody disputes.
  - 1 woman was killed due to the rejection of a marriage proposal.
  - 1 woman was killed for unknown reasons.

Breakdown of Women's Murders by Province

- Tehran province: 6 cases
- Razavi Khorasan province: 3 cases
- East Azerbaijan province: 2 cases
- West Azerbaijan (Urmia) province: 2 cases
- Khuzestan province: 1 case
- Kermanshah province: 1 case
- Gilan province: 1 case
- North Khorasan province: 1 case
-  Kurdistan (Sanandaj) province: 1 case
-  Ilam province:  1 case
-  Alborz province: 1 case

Femicide is regarded as the most extreme form of misogyny in society. Femicide only makes up a portion of the murders that are linked to honor killings. Laws, misogynistic relationships, and patriarchy are the main causes of femicide in societies. According to Hengaw's dataset, there were 122 recorded femicides in Iran in the year prior, and a large number of these killings were carried out by the victims' close relatives. Laws and attitudes that promote misogyny and hatred towards women normalize the act of killing women, making it easier for predators to carry out their crimes with fewer repercussions