Iran’s judiciary is making preparations to carry out the execution of Bita Hemmati, who is on track to become the first woman to face the death penalty for her alleged involvement in the nationwide anti-regime protests that took place in January. Alongside her husband, Mohammadreza Majid Asl, and two other men, Behrouz and Kourosh Zamaninezhad, she was given death sentences in the same case, with reports stating that their assets were also seized following the sentencing.
As stated in a press release from the opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the judiciary accused the quartet of various offenses, including the use of explosives and weapons, causing harm to stationed forces, and throwing objects like bottles, concrete blocks, and incendiary materials from rooftops. The charges further encompassed destruction of public property, involvement in protest gatherings, and chanting protest slogans, deemed as threats to national security and affiliations with hostile groups, as well as disseminating content aimed at undermining security.
Additionally, another relative of Bita, Amir Hemmati, received a nearly six-year prison term for charges related to assembly and collusion against national security and propagandizing against the regime. The arrests of the group took place in Tehran, which was a focal point of the protests.
The unrest initially sparked with local strikes by shopkeepers and market traders in Tehran towards the end of December. What commenced in markets swiftly spilled onto the streets, and within a short span, the agitation spread throughout the capital and other urban areas, drawing in students and various societal segments.
In response to the nationwide turmoil, the Iranian government initiated a significant crackdown, resulting in numerous casualties, injuries, and tens of thousands of arrests. Subsequently, following the protests, several individuals associated with the demonstrations were subjected to execution.
This legal case unfolds against the backdrop of a notable surge in executions in Iran. According to reports from Norway-based Iran Human Rights and Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty, a staggering 1,639 individuals were executed in 2025, including 48 women, reflecting a 68% escalation compared to the 975 executions recorded in 2024. These statistics translate to an average of over four executions daily, marking the highest number reported since monitoring commenced in 2008 and the most significant figure since 1989. In a recent incident, Iranian authorities carried out the execution of a teenage musician at Ghezel Hesar prison.