Hengaw monthly report on violations of women’s rights in Iran – August 2026
Hengaw – Sunday, September 6, 2026
According to data compiled by the Statistics and Documentation Center of the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, at least 20 women activists were arrested across Iran in August 2026, while 26 women activists were sentenced by the Iranian judiciary to punishments including death, imprisonment, and flogging. During the same period, at least 19 cases of femicide and the executions of six women were recorded in different parts of the country.
Six women executed in August
At least six women were executed in prisons across Iran during August 2026. All six had been sentenced to death on charges of murder. Their names and case details are as follows:
1. Mahtab Shirmohammadi, from Tabriz, was executed at Yasuj Central Prison after being sentenced to death on a charge of murder.
2. Azam Gerami Marzieh Nayeri, from Qazvin, was executed at Qazvin Central Prison after being sentenced to death on a charge of murder.
3. Donya Mohammadi, from Eyvan-e Gharb, was executed at Ilam Central Prison after being sentenced to death on a charge of murder.
4. Fatemeh Kamal Zare, from Karaj, was executed at Karaj Central Prison after being sentenced to death on a charge of murder.
5. Zahra Azizpour, from Ardabil, was executed at Rasht Central Prison after being sentenced to death on a charge of murder.
6. Arezoo Rostad, from Isfahan, was executed at Isfahan Central Prison after being sentenced to death on a charge of murder.
Women killed by government forces
No cases of women being killed by direct fire from government forces were recorded during August.
Arrests of 20 women activists in August 2026
According to data compiled by Hengaw’s Statistics and Documentation Center, at least 20 women activists were arrested by security agencies during August, accounting for 17% of all arrests recorded by Hengaw during the month.
Those arrested included at least seven Baha’i women and eight Kurdish women. The arrests were recorded as follows:
Sari:
1. Soraya Manouchehrzadeh
2. Maral Roshani
3. Negar Badiei
4. Shima Sanaei
5. Fakhereh Zahedi
Mahabad:
6. Shirin Masoudi
7. Sairan Arabi
Isfahan:
8. Sarir Moqen
9. Elham Khalas
Iranshahr:
10. Shima Bameri
11. Saemeh Bameri
Urmia:
12. Befrin Ahmad Vash
Chaldoran:
13. Zahra Pirdehghan
Maku:
14. Parvin Raseq Qezelbash
Bandar Abbas:
15. Leila Moallemi
Piranshahr:
16. Nazanin Hosseinpour
Divandarreh:
17. Maryam Moradian
Abdanan:
18. Razieh Hashemi
Dezful:
19. Najmeh Sadat Bonyan
Mashhad:
20. Maryam Tajangi
Sentences issued against women activists
According to data compiled by Hengaw’s Statistics and Documentation Center, in August 2026, Taraneh Rahimi, a woman from Isfahan, was sentenced to death by the Iranian judiciary. In addition, 26 women received sentences totaling 132 years, nine months, and one day of imprisonment, along with six years and six months of suspended imprisonment. One woman was also sentenced to 31 lashes.
At least seven Baha’i women and four Kurdish women were among those sentenced to imprisonment. The women sentenced to death and/or imprisonment were:
1. Azadeh Yaghoubi, from Mashhad, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison.
2. Shaghayegh Afshar Najafi, from Qazvin, was sentenced to nine years in prison.
3. Yalda Moayeri, from Tehran, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
4. Tara Farhangian, from Qorveh, was sentenced to one year in prison and 31 lashes.
5. Homa Teymouri, from Tehran, was sentenced to five years in prison.
6. Nazanin Elyasi (Golaleh), from Mahabad, was sentenced to two years in prison.
7. Fatemeh Safari, from Zanjan, was sentenced to five years in prison.
8. Faranak Zabihi, from Qaem Shahr, was sentenced to two years in prison.
9. Leila Moallemi, from Bandar Abbas, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
10. Azar Yahoo, from Mashhad, was sentenced to one year in prison and an additional two-year suspended prison term.
11. Zahra Rabbani, from Bojnord, was sentenced to seven months and 16 days in prison.
12. Hiva Seifizadeh, from Tehran, was sentenced to four years in prison.
13. Manijeh Khoshnoud, from Bukan, was sentenced to three months in prison.
14. Zahra Golabian, from Sari, was sentenced to two years and 15 days in prison.
15. Banafsheh Asadian Arabi, from Sari, was sentenced to two years and 15 days in prison.
16. Anahita Koushkbagi, from Sari, was sentenced to two years and 15 days in prison.
17. Nasim Samimi, from Sari, was sentenced to two years and 15 days in prison.
18. Emilia Fanian, from Sari, was sentenced to two years and 15 days in prison.
19. Melody Samimi, from Sari, was sentenced to two years and 15 days in prison.
20. Najmeh Amini, from Mashhad, was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison.
21. Taraneh Rahimi, from Isfahan, was sentenced to death and 11 years in prison.
22. Romina Rahimi, from Isfahan, was sentenced to 36 years in prison.
23. Setayesh Saedi, from Isfahan, was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
24. Zahra Jafari, from Sabzevar, was sentenced to a suspended prison term of one year and six months.
25. Fatemeh Bareqandi, from Sabzevar, was sentenced to a suspended prison term of one year and six months.
26. Nazanin Zahra Mousavi, 17, from Sabzevar, was sentenced to a suspended prison term of one year and six months.
At least 19 femicides recorded in August 2026
According to data compiled by Hengaw’s Statistics and Documentation Center, at least 19 women were killed in different parts of Iran during August 2026. The overwhelming majority were killed by people close to them, including their husbands and other family members.
Of the 19 women, 10 were killed by their husbands, two by their fathers, two by former husbands, one by her maternal uncle, one by her son-in-law, and one by an unidentified individual.
At least one of the 19 femicides was recorded as an “honor”-related killing. Sixteen women were killed in connection with family disputes, one was killed in a case involving attempted rape, and the motive in one case remains unknown.
Femicides by province
Tehran and Mazandaran provinces: 4 cases each
Razavi Khorasan Province: 3 cases
Kurdistan (Sanandaj) Province: 2 cases
Fars, Kerman, Kermanshah, Sistan and Baluchestan, West Azerbaijan (Urmia), and East Azerbaijan provinces: 1 case each
