Femicide, a Continuing Tragedy in Iran: Seven Women Fall Victim
As the mullahs’ parliament continues to delay the adoption of a bill intended to prevent violence against women, the harrowing statistics of honor killings and domestic violence in Iran paint a grim picture. In just 12 days, at least seven women across the country fell victim to femicide at the hands of those who should have been their protectors—husbands and fathers. These tragedies expose the ongoing crisis of gender-based violence, perpetuated and institutionalized by the Iranian regime’s deeply misogynistic laws.
A Closer Look at the Victims’ Stories
- Tehran, February 16, 2025: Najibeh Hassan-Khani, a 40-year-old woman, was lured by her husband under the pretense of finalizing their divorce settlement. Once at the designated location, he locked her inside the car and set it ablaze. She succumbed to her severe burns after being transferred to the hospital.
- Kermanshah, February 17, 2025: Donya Hosseini, a 23-year-old woman, was stabbed and killed by her father just a day after returning to her family home following a recent divorce. The killing was reportedly motivated by so-called ‘honor’ concerns.
- Qazvin, February 20, 2025: Another woman was deliberately run over by her husband and later died in the hospital due to the severity of her injuries.
- Gorgan, February 21, 2025: A woman residing in one of the city’s townships was fatally stabbed by her husband.
- Gorgan, February 22, 2025: Arezou Kami, a mother of two, was fatally stabbed by her husband.
- Jahrom, February 27, 2025: Delara Jahandideh, a 38-year-old woman, succumbed to severe head trauma two days after being brutally beaten with a wooden object by her husband.
She had been repeatedly threatened with death and acid attacks by her spouse in the months leading up to her murder. Authorities had failed to take preventive action, despite clear evidence of prior attempts on her life.
- Fardis, Karaj, February 27, 2025: A woman was murdered by her husband through blows inflicted with a meat tenderizer. The incident reported by the state-run Rokna news did not provide further details on the age of the victim and the reason for her death.
These horrific cases of femicide highlight the escalating crisis of gender-based violence in Iran, where systemic legal shortcomings enable perpetrators to act with impunity.
Article 612 of the clerical regime’s Penal Code, in particular, frequently shields offenders—especially fathers, brothers, and husbands—from severe punishment, perpetuating a cycle of injustice. The persistent failure to implement robust legal protections not only endangers countless women but also reinforces a culture where honor killings and femicide remain tragically unchecked.
