Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 6, 2025: Marzieh Esmaili, a woman on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Qazvin Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a woman was hanged in Qazvin (Choobindar) Central Prison on 15 April 2025. Her identity has been established as Marzieh Esmaili, a 40-year-old mother of one from Abhar.
She was arrested four years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court. Marzieh was buried in her village, per informed sources.
At the time of writing, her execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
Marzieh is the 12th woman execution recorded in 2025 and the fifth to be hanged for drug-related offences. Iran executes the highest number of women globally. In 2024, at least 31 women were executed for drug-related, murder and security-related charges in Iran, the highest number of recorded women executions in more than 15 years.
In January 2025, IHRNGO published a report titled “Women and the Death Penalty in Iran; a Gendered Perspective,” which sheds light on the contemporary experiences of women facing the death penalty, focusing on the discriminatory laws and societal factors that perpetuate their suffering.