In the early hours of Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Iranian regime authorities executed a woman prisoner identified as 28-year-old Asma Zarei at Ardabil Prison.
Asma Zarei had been arrested two years ago on murder charges and was later sentenced to death. She was the mother of a child born while she was in prison. The child is now two years old.
With the execution of Asma Zarei in Ardabil prison, the number of women executed in the 2026 calendar year has risen to twelve.
Iran, the world record holder in executing women
According to data recorded by the Women’s Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, at least 340 women have been executed in Iran since 2007.
Many of the women executed by the Iranian regime are themselves victims of domestic violence and discriminatory family laws. A significant number have acted in self-defense.
Since Masoud Pezeshkian took office, the clerical regime has executed more than 3,680 prisoners, including 100 women.
According to the NCRI sources, in 2025 alone, more than 2,201 executions were recorded in Iran, more than double the number carried out in 2024 (1,006).
Amnesty International stated in its annual report that Iran’s ruling dictatorship carried out at least 2,159 executions in 2025, the highest recorded number of executions in the world. The organization said the figure represents the highest documented annual execution rate worldwide since 1981.
The Women’s Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran calls on the United Nations and relevant agencies, the European Union and its member states, as well as all human rights defenders, to take immediate action to halt the rampant executions in Iran.
