Iran Executes Woman, 23, for Killing Rapist; 14th Female Hanged This Year

Iran has executed a 23-year-old woman, Marziyeh Niyeri, after she was convicted of killing a man she said was attacking her sexually. Her death brings the number of women executed in Iran this year to 14. Human rights groups say most of these women were convicted in cases involving domestic violence, forced marriage, or sexual assault. They criticize Iran’s system of retributive justice, known as “qisas,” which allows victims’ families to demand the death penalty. Activists also point to what they describe as discriminatory laws against women in the country’s legal system. The execution has drawn renewed attention to how Iranian courts handle cases where women act in self-defense. Rights organizations argue that such defendants rarely receive fair consideration of their circumstances.