Exclusive; Delay in the Execution of Samira Sabzian, Child Bride Accused of Killing Her Husband

Voice of America has learned that following the delay in the execution of Samira Sabzian, a child bride accused of killing her husband, she has been returned to the general section of Qarchak Varamin prison. An informed source told Voice of America that Samira Sabzian has lost the ability to walk due to severe psychological pressure and has been returned to the general section of the prison in a wheelchair. Samira Sabzian, a child bride and mother of two children aged 10 and 17, was sentenced to death for 'premeditated murder' of her husband about ten years ago. According to the Iran Human Rights Organization, she was supposed to be executed on Wednesday, December 13. The report states that Samira, hoping to obtain forgiveness from her husband's parents who said she should not claim custody of her children, has refrained from meeting her two children for the past ten years. The possibility of Samira Sabzian's execution has faced criticism from human rights organizations and activists. Mahmoud Amiri-Moghaddam, director of the Iran Human Rights Organization, called Samira a 'victim of the gender apartheid system in the Islamic Republic' and demanded 'strong international reactions and public campaigns' to save her life. Atena Daemi, a civil activist and former prisoner, also described 'forcing women into marriage in childhood' as 'systematic oppression' in a series of messages on X (formerly Twitter) and criticized the lack of protective laws for women, calling for 'solidarity to save the life of a person at risk of execution.' According to the Iran Human Rights Organization, the Islamic Republic is considered the largest executor of women in the world, having executed at least 16 women in the past year. So far this year, at least 17 women have lost their lives to the death penalty in Iran. The report states that while women do not have the right to divorce even in cases of domestic violence, in over 60% of known murders, women have been accused of killing their husbands or partners.