Young Woman Arrested at 17 in Imminent Danger of Execution

Iran Human Rights (October 10 2016): Zeinab Sekaanvand Lokran, a juvenile prisoner who was sentenced to death for the murder of her husband, is in imminent danger of execution. 

Zeinab was born on June 22, 1994 and was arrested on March 1, 2012 for the murder of her husband. She was sentenced to death by branch 2 of Urmia's criminal court. Her death sentence was confirmed by branch 8 of Iran's Supreme Court. 

Zeinab was reportedly married off to a man when she was 15 years old and, according to sources close to her, she was abused by her husband. 

"Zeinab is a victim of institutionalized misogyny. Now, following insufficient investigation and an unfair trial, she is going to be a victim of the death penalty policy in Iran. Based on the evidence we have seen, Zeinab was 17  when she was arrested. Her death sentence is in clear violation of international laws the Iranian authorities are obligated to adhere to. We call on the international community to protest against Zeinab's unlawful death sentence," says Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, spokesperson for Iran Human Rights. 

Iran Human Rights has obtained parts of the text of Zeinab's court verdict. According to the document, Zeinab was physically abused by her husband and she filed a complaint with Iranian authorities. However, Iranian authorities reportedly did not follow up on her complaint.  

Zeinab Sekaanvand spent the first two years of her imprisonment in Khoy Prison (West Azerbaijan province, northwestern Iran). However, when she was sentenced to death, she was transferred to the women's ward of Urmia Central Prison. In this prison she reportedly married a male prisoner after she received permission from prison authorities. Zeinab reportedly became pregnant in prison and delivered a still born baby on September 30, 2016 at a hospital in the city of Urmia. 

The Kurdistan Human Rights Network reports that on October 3, 2016 Zeinab was summoned to the implementation of sentences office at Urmia Cental Prison on October 3 and was told by authorities that there is a possibility her execution sentence will be carried out sometime this week.