In a defiant move, Iran carried out the execution of a woman convicted of murdering her husband, whom she had married as a child, disregarding calls for clemency from international rights groups. The execution took place at dawn in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj, a satellite city of Tehran, as confirmed by the Iran Human Rights (IHR) group, based in Norway.

The woman, identified as Samira Sabzian, had been imprisoned for the past ten years, and her execution adds to the growing concern over the rising numbers of executions in Iran. The country has witnessed hundreds of hangings this year, predominantly on charges of drugs and murder, including over a dozen women.

According to IHR, Sabzian was a victim of child marriage and domestic violence. She was forced into marriage at the age of 15 and endured years of abuse. The Hengaw rights group also confirmed the execution and revealed that Sabzian hailed from the city of Khorramabad in the western Lorestan province. Amnesty International expressed horror at the "chilling execution" and highlighted that Sabzian was subjected to a forced and early marriage as a child.

The UN High Commissioner on Human Rights expressed alarm at the execution, emphasizing that Sabzian had been forced into marriage at the tender age of 15. The office urged Iran to establish a moratorium on all executions and work toward abolishing the death penalty.

Despite the significance of this execution, it has remained unreported by media within Iran. Sabzian was arrested when she was 19 years old, charged with the murder of her husband, and subsequently sentenced to death, according to IHR. She was a mother of two, who she had not seen since her arrest until a final meeting in prison earlier this month.

Mahmood-Amiry Moghaddam, the director of IHR, condemned the Iranian regime's treatment of Sabzian, stating that she had been a victim of gender apartheid, child marriage, and domestic violence. Various rights groups have expressed concern over the surge in executions in Iran this year, with at least 115 people put to death in November alone, as reported by Amnesty International.

The British government also pleaded with Iran to spare Sabzian's life, highlighting her status as a victim of child marriage and calling for an end to the mistreatment of women and girls in the country. IHR revealed that a total of 18 women have been executed in Iran this year, including Samira Sabzian.

Rights groups have continuously criticized Iran's murder laws, which are based on strict interpretations of sharia law. These laws fail to consider potential mitigating factors, such as abuse or domestic violence, in such cases. While Iran has executed eight men linked to the protests that erupted in September 2022, rights groups argue that the increase in hangings is intended to instill fear in the general population.

According to IHR, Iran executed 582 people in 2022, and this year's total is expected to be significantly higher. The international community continues to urge Iran to establish a moratorium on all executions and work towards the abolition of the death penalty. However, the country's authorities have yet to show signs of relenting their approach.