Femicide in Iran; Acknowledgment by Islamic Republic Affiliates of an 'Epidemic of Violence' Against Women

Two former officials of the Islamic Republic emphasized the high rates of femicide in Iran, acknowledging that 'we are facing an epidemic of violence in society' and considered the 'Hijab and Chastity Law' as a manifestation of violence against women. Shahindokht Molaverdi, former Deputy for Women and Family Affairs in the Islamic Republic, stated during a meeting titled 'Femicide' related to violence against women at the Baran Foundation, close to the reformist faction of the Islamic Republic, that recent cases of femicide and the suicides of two students highlight that 'we are facing an epidemic of violence in society.' According to the Jamaran website on Sunday, December 4, Shahindokht Molaverdi referred to the economic and social limitations in society and mentioned that 'when we were in government, it was reported that over 70% of our society suffers from various degrees of mental disorders.' According to this former government official, 'violence against women transcends all boundaries of education, wealth, and social class in the country, and criteria such as social class, literacy, or wealth do not provide immunity in this regard.' Also present was Elaheh Koulaei, a member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, who acknowledged that in some laws of the Islamic Republic, 'women are considered as tools for reproduction' and that 'the Hijab and Chastity Law is another example of violence against women,' while 'violence should not be legalized.' Kamal Nourouzi, a lawyer, stated in this session that 'femicide is more prevalent in lower social groups,' and mentioned that in the administrative system of the Islamic Republic, 'criminal statistics are not available,' hence 'we do not have specific statistics for analysis' and 'we do not know how much spousal murder exists.' He described Iranian society as 'a highly crime-generating society' and noted that 'the crime of femicide is dependent on traditional systems and the psychological structures of individuals,' occurring under pretexts such as 'preserving and protecting men's honor,' which is why 'in many of these murders, no complaint is filed at all.' This lawyer also emphasized the economic difficulties, stating that 'if crises are resolved and the family institution is freed from the grip of the economic crisis monster, families will be restored.' The Islamic Penal Code in Iran has left loopholes in cases of spousal murder or femicide, allowing the murderer to enjoy immunity under pretexts such as 'honor' or suspicion of 'illicit relationships.' In September of this year, a 17-year-old girl named Mobina Zeynivand was killed by her father with a firearm due to suspicion of having a 'relationship with a teenage boy' in the city of Dareh Shahr, Ilam Province. According to the laws of the Islamic Republic, in the event of a murder by the father, based on 'blood rights' and what is referred to in the laws of the Islamic Republic as 'wali dam,' the murderer is effectively immune. A Tehran-based newspaper reported the murder of 78 women and girls in the first six months of the year. According to data from the specialized platform 'Stop Femicide Iran,' which focuses on monitoring gender-based killings in Iran, the rate of femicide in Iran increased by 60% in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year. This report describes the murder of women as 'a crime that is internationally recognized as one of the most horrific and overlooked phenomena' and has tracked and analyzed the intentional killing of women and girls in Iran. An analysis of 156 recorded cases of gender-based killings in 2023 by this organization has shown that 'factors such as increased government censorship, especially online, and a lack of public reporting by affected families due to distrust in the government' have played a role in these murders.