Massoumeh Zarei Executed in Domestic Violence Case

According to HRANA news agency, 40-year-old Massoumeh Zarei was executed in Amol Prison on December 14. She was sentenced to qisas for “participation in murder”.

Massoumeh had a 21-year-old daughter and had been behind bars for around seven years.

A source close to her said: “Massoumeh Zarei was beaten by her husband who was a drug addict. He also had extramarital relations with other women. However, Massoumeh could not separate from her husband because women don’t have the right to divorce. Her husband would publicly say: ‘I won’t divorce you, I won’t let you take the child and you’re not allowed to leave.’ All of these eventually led to the murder.”

Iran Human Rights published “Women and the Death Penalty: 2010- 10 October 2021” on the occasion of World Day Against the Death Penalty, which covered the context and background of female executions through the broader legislative framework and the breaches of rights and social issues face by women specifically.  

At the time of writing, Massoumeh’s execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

According to Iran Human Rights’ Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 211 of the 267 people executed in 2020 were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for "premeditated murder."

As there are no legal distinctions made between murder and manslaughter, whether voluntary or involuntary in Iran, those charged under the umbrella term of “premeditated murder” will receive the death penalty regardless of intent and the circumstances.