Marziye Niyeri, who defended herself against attempted sexual assault, executed in Iran

The execution of 23-year-old Marziye Niyeri in Iran has sparked new debates regarding the death penalty in the country and the status of women in judicial processes. Niyeri was executed at Qazvin Central Prison before dawn on Saturday.

According to data from the Iran Human Rights Organization, with Niyeri's execution, the number of women executed in the country since the beginning of 2026 has risen to at least 14.

SELF-DEFENSE PLEA REJECTED

According to information reported by Euronews, the incident occurred in October 2021 when Niyeri was 18 years old. In her testimony in court, Niyeri stated that one of her husband's business partners attempted to sexually assault her while intoxicated, and that she used a kitchen knife to protect herself during the encounter.

During the struggle, Niyeri's husband also lost his life. The young woman, who turned herself in to the police following the incident, had her self-defense plea rejected by the court.

Niyeri, who was reportedly forced into marriage by her family at the age of 17, was sentenced to death after the victim's family demanded "qisas" (retribution), a right provided under Iranian law.

Under the qisas practice in Iran, the family of a murder victim is granted the right to demand the execution of the convict or to accept "diya," known as blood money. It was reported that the victim's relatives in the case refused the blood money and insisted on the execution.

In another case heard on the same day, it was reported that a woman found guilty of killing elderly men she had married was sentenced to 10 separate death penalties.

News Source: 12punto