The case of a young woman in Iran who was married as a child and later convicted over the death of her husband has drawn urgent international criticism, with independent United Nations experts warning that carrying out her execution would represent a serious violation of human rights and highlight deep-rooted discrimination against women and girls within the country’s legal system.
Goli Kouhkan, now 25, is an undocumented Baluch woman who was reportedly forced into marriage at the age of just 12. According to a statement released on Tuesday by a group of UN-appointed human rights experts, she now faces execution this month following her conviction in a case linked to the death of her husband, who was also her cousin. The experts assert that Kouhkan’s life story reflects a broader pattern of injustice experienced by women subjected to child marriage and domestic violence in Iran.
“Kouhkan’s case exemplifies the systemic gender bias faced by women victims of child marriage and domestic violence within Iran’s criminal justice system,” the group of experts said. They stressed that carrying out the death sentence would violate international human rights standards and urged Iranian authorities to halt the planned execution immediately.
According to the statement, Kouhkan was married before she had reached adolescence and became a mother the following year at the age of 13. She gave birth to her son at home, reportedly without access to medical care. From a very young age, she was said to have been burdened not only with marriage and motherhood, but also farm labour, while experiencing repeated physical and psychological abuse within the household.
The experts stated that the violence she endured lasted for several years. In May 2018, when she was 18, a confrontation occurred after her husband allegedly assaulted her and their five-year-old child. The situation escalated when a relative was contacted for help, and the incident ultimately resulted in the husband’s death. While court proceedings followed, rights groups and UN experts now say her case was handled in a manner that failed to recognize her status as a victim of abuse and forced marriage.
In their statement, the experts described Kouhkan as both “a survivor of domestic violence” and “a victim of the justice system.” They further argued that executing her would amount to the state killing a woman who had spent most of her youth being subjected to gender-based abuse, exploitation and coercion. They expressed concern that her background, lack of education, and extreme vulnerability were not taken into account during legal proceedings.
One of the most troubling aspects of the case, according to the experts, is that Kouhkan is illiterate and is believed to have had no proper access to qualified legal representation. It has also been reported that she was pressured into accepting full blame for her husband’s death, despite what the experts say were clear indications of long-term domestic abuse and a context of self-defence.
Under Iran’s interpretation of Sharia law, the victim’s family has the option to demand financial compensation, often referred to as “blood money,” in exchange for forgiving the accused and stopping the execution. In Kouhkan’s case, the victim’s family reportedly agreed to spare her life if she paid the equivalent of around $90,000. However, the UN experts described this sum as far above the standard recommended amount and completely beyond her financial capacity.
“Kouhkan faces execution not based on justice, but because she cannot afford to pay for her life,” the experts stated. They argued that such a system further reinforces inequality, as poor and marginalised individuals — especially women — are more likely to face execution simply because they cannot raise the required funds.
The experts also highlighted worrying trends in Iran’s broader use of the death penalty against women. Between 2010 and 2024, at least 241 women were executed in the country, according to available data referenced in the statement. Nearly half of these women were convicted of killing husbands or intimate partners. Many of those cases, the experts said, were linked to situations involving domestic violence, child marriage, or self-defence.
Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have long raised concerns about Iran’s use of capital punishment, reporting that the country remains one of the world’s leading executioners, second only to China. Activists say that Iran’s justice system often fails to protect vulnerable individuals, particularly women, ethnic minorities, and those living in poverty.
In response to the growing attention on Kouhkan’s case, campaigners around the world have begun calling for clemency, legal review, and reform in how Iran handles cases involving women forced into marriage as children. They argue that child marriage is itself a human rights violation and that victims should receive protection and rehabilitation — not punishment.
Source:Africa Publicity
