Iran Prepares to Execute First Female Protester Amid Ongoing Unrest
Execution of Bita Hemmati Looms
The Iranian government is set to execute Bita Hemmati, marking her as the first known female protester to face the death penalty in connection with the protests that erupted nationwide in January. This wave of unrest has resulted in approximately 1,600 death sentences being handed down. Hemmati faces multiple charges, including the use of explosives and weapons, as well as accusations of 'disrupting national security.' These allegations are commonly directed at protesters, often in trials criticized for their lack of transparency and due process. The protests, which quickly spread across various cities in January, were met with a harsh crackdown from state security forces, resulting in mass arrests, swift trials, and an increasing number of death sentences.
Background on Bita Hemmati
As reported by the opposition group National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Bita Hemmati has been charged with several offenses, including the use of explosives, throwing objects like concrete blocks, participating in protests, and endangering national security. Her husband, Mohammadreza Majid Asl, aged 34, along with two other residents from their apartment complex, Behrouz and Kourosh Zamaninezhad, have also received death sentences following expedited trials, with their property seized. Additionally, a relative of Hemmati, Amir Hemmati, was sentenced to nearly six years in prison for 'assembly and collusion against national security' and 'propaganda against the regime.' The Iranian government has accused them of engaging in 'operational actions for the hostile government of the United States and other adversarial groups,' according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency based in the US. All individuals were arrested in Tehran, which has been the epicenter of the largest protests against the Iranian regime. The protests initially began with local strikes by shopkeepers and market traders in Tehran in late December 2025, eventually escalating into widespread demonstrations across the nation.
(With agency inputs)