24-year-old woman executed in Iran for defending herself from violence — media

According to Iranian media reports, 24-year-old Marzia Nayeri was executed on August 8 in Qazvin Central Prison. She had been sentenced to death for the premeditated murder of her husband.

The Women's Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, citing human rights activists, reported that Marzia was forced into marriage by her family six years ago when she was 17. According to reports, her husband, Daoud, worked in a real estate business with two partners and often consumed drugs and alcohol at home.

Five years ago, in early October, 18-year-old Marzia allegedly defended herself from attempted sexual assault by her husband and his business partner. Nayeri stabbed them with a kitchen knife in self-defense, killing her husband.

During the trial, Marzia testified under oath that she had been threatened with sexual violence by her husband and his accomplices on several occasions. She said she had only acted to protect her honor and life on the day of the incident. However, the court found her actions not to be self-defense. Official Iranian and state media outlets have not reported the execution.

According to the Women's Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, Nayeri was the 20th woman to be executed in the country since the beginning of 2026. Human rights activists say at least 348 women have been executed in Iran since 2007.