The Iranian Judiciary is preparing to execute Bita Hemmati, the first female protester to be sentenced to death over her alleged role in the anti-government protests that swept across the country in January. Her husband, Mohammadreza Majid Asl (34), and two other men, named Kourosh Zamaninezhad and Behrouz, have also been handed death sentences in the same case. Following the verdict, their property was also confiscated, according to reports.
Who is Bita Hemmati?
According to a statement by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the Iranian judiciary has charged Bita Hemmati and other prisoners with serious offences. These include causing harm to deployed forces on-site, using explosives and weapons, and throwing stones, bottles, and inflammable materials from rooftops.
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Charged for serious offences
They also face charges of damaging public property, taking an active part in protest gatherings, and chanting anti-regime slogans, which, according to authorities, amounted to a breach of national security and ties to hostile groups.
Local media also reported that Bita’s other relative, named Amir Hemmati, was handed a prison sentence of six years on charges of conspiracy against national security and anti-regime propaganda. All of them in the group were arrested in Tehran, the epicentre of the protests.
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Iran’s crackdown after nationwide protests
The nationwide protests in Iran commenced with local strikes conducted by shopkeepers and market traders in the capital, Tehran, in late December 2025. The unrest, which began in markets, soon spread to the streets and then across the country. Students and other sections of society also joined the protest.
The Iranian regime, on the other hand, responded with a massive crackdown. Thousands were killed, many sustained injuries, and tens of thousands were also arrested. Over the months that followed, those associated with the protests were executed.
Bita and the group’s case emerges at a time when executions in Iran have seen a significant rise. According to Norway-based Iran Human Rights and Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty, at least 1,639 people have already been executed last year. This includes 48 females, marking a 68% increase when compared to 975 executions recorded in 2024.
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