Death penalty Violation of women's rights Domestic violence

In Iran, Murdered Women Pay the Difference

On October 14, Iran hanged a former lawyer who had murdered his wife, a journalist at the state news agency IRNA. As the Islamic Penal Code values a woman’s life at half a man’s, her family first had to pay him the difference, out of her own marriage portion. At least 20 more men were hanged for murder within three weeks.

By Delirium Islamicum Published October 24, 2026

Satirical cartoon: in an Iranian courtroom, a cleric-judge watches a balance scale shaped like a gallows, with an empty noose between its pans; a male figurine stands on one pan, while a grieving woman in a black chador pours gold coins from a Persian wedding box onto the other pan, next to a female figurine, until the two sides balance. — In Iran, the scales of justice balance only once the murdered woman’s family has paid.

A wife at half price

Mansoureh Ghadiri Javid was a journalist at IRNA, the state news agency. In November 2024, her husband, Ahmad Parviz, a former lawyer, killed her at home in Tehran. Her mother demanded qisas, retribution in kind, and he was hanged in Ghezel Hesar prison on October 14.

Article 550 of the Islamic Penal Code sets a woman's blood money at half a man's, and Article 382 draws the conclusion: a man who kills a woman can be executed only once her family has paid him the missing half. According to Iran Human Rights, the sums needed to clear the way to the gallows came out of her mehrieh, the marriage portion owed to a wife. Her marriage portion bought her family the right to see her killer hanged.

When the killer of Elaheh Hosseinnejad, 24, whose murder had outraged the country, was hanged in May, the judiciary paid the difference itself, as her family could not. The state treasury can step in when a case causes severe public disorder, a Supreme Court judge explained. A murdered woman is worth a man when the country is angry enough.

Cash only, no schools

In Bandar Abbas, Hamidreza Mohammadi, a 42-year-old father of two, was hanged on October 19 for a death in a group fight. His family had offered to pay any blood money requested and to fund a school or a clinic in the victim's name. The next of kin refused. In Gorgan, Hossein Ali Baranzehi, a 50-year-old Baluch father of three, was hanged on September 30 because his family could not raise the sum demanded. He had already been taken to the gallows at least three times.

The judiciary publishes an indicative price every year, but there is no legal ceiling on what families can demand, Iran Human Rights notes. Those who choose death are encouraged to attend the hanging, and even to carry it out themselves. Justice, in Iran, can be self-service.

Intentional, whatever the intent

The Penal Code knows only one kind of intentional murder, punished by retribution whatever the circumstances, Iran Human Rights explains. Mehdi Mirzayi, a 22-year-old Lor, was hanged in Malayer on October 12 for a knife blow during a fight, unintentional according to a source. He had been arrested "just after he had turned 18", and his father was advised not to hire a lawyer, so as not to upset the victim's family. Reza Rajabian, a 23-year-old Kurd, was hanged in Shirvan on October 15 for a death in a clash when he was just over 18; his cousin was hanged in the same case in June.

In Ahvaz on October 21, Atiyeh Jamei, a 40-year-old Arab, was hanged although, Hengaw's sources say, he had been defending his family against two armed men: the court ignored his plea of self-defence.

Martyrs of the road

On October 11, Danial Jahanian, 37, was hanged in Bandar Abbas for the death of police officer Reza Ehterami in 2022. According to Mehr News Agency, the "martyr" fell in a clash with fuel smugglers; the prosecutor, Aref Akbari, said the sentence was passed at his family's request. Iran Human Rights tells another story: plainclothes officers shot Jahanian in both legs, he lost consciousness, and a second car ran over the officer. The page of the police report on that second collision was blanked out with correction fluid, the NGO says.

The next day in Minab, Abolhassan Ranjbar, a 39-year-old Baluch, was hanged for the death of a traffic policeman at a checkpoint in 2023: an accident during a stop that turned violent, says Iran Human Rights, which also cites false witnesses. Iran International reports that Aref Akbari announced this hanging too.

"Those who disrupt society's security in any way will be dealt with firmly."— Aref Akbari, prosecutor in Bandar Abbas, to Mehr News Agency

Firm, but discreet

Between September 30 and October 21, rights groups reported at least 21 hangings for murder, most of them never announced. According to Iran Human Rights, official sources announced fewer than 7% of the 747 executions for murder it counted in 2025, 48 of them women, a record since 2010. In 566 other cases, families chose money or forgiveness.

The Islamic Republic lets families set the price of a life. It only fixes the discount for women.

Verses and hadiths related to this article

“O you who believe, retaliation is prescribed for you in cases of murder: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the female for the female. But if the killer is granted some pardon by his brother, let the claim be pursued with fairness, and let payment [of blood money] be made to him with kindness. That is a lightening from your Lord and a mercy. Whoever transgresses after that will have a painful punishment.”

Yahya related to me from Malik that Rabia ibn Abi Abd ar-Rahman said, "I asked Said ibn al-Musayyab, 'How much for the finger of a woman?' He said, 'Ten camels.' I said, 'How much for two fingers?' He said, 'Twenty camels.' I said, 'How much for three?' He said, 'Thirty camels.' I said, 'How much for four?' He said, 'Twenty camels.' I said, 'When her wound is greater and her affliction stronger, is her blood-money then less?' He said, 'Are you an Iraqi?' I said, 'Rather, I am a scholar who seeks to verify things, or an ignorant man who seeks to learn.' Said said, 'It is the sunna, my nephew.'"

Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: Once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went out to the Musalla (to offer the prayer) of `Id-al-Adha or Al-Fitr prayer. Then he passed by the women and said, "O women! Give alms, as I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-fire were you (women)." They asked, "Why is it so, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)?" He replied, "You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. A cautious sensible man could be led astray by some of you." The women asked, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What is deficient in our intelligence and religion?" He said, "Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?" They replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her intelligence. Isn't it true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menses?" The women replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her religion."

“Do not take a human life, made sacred by Allah, except with legal right. If anyone is killed unjustly, We have given their heirs the authority, but do not let them exceed limits in retaliation, for they are already supported by law.”

Narrated Abu Huraira: In the year of the Conquest of Mecca, the tribe of Khuza`a killed a man from the tribe of Bani Laith in revenge for a killed person belonging to them in the Pre-Islamic Period of Ignorance. So Allah's Apostle got up saying, "Allah held back the (army having) elephants from Mecca, but He let His Apostle and the believers overpower the infidels (of Mecca). Beware! (Mecca is a sanctuary)! Verily! Fighting in Mecca was not permitted for anybody before me, nor will it be permitted for anybody after me; It was permitted for me only for a while (an hour or so) of that day. No doubt! It is at this moment a sanctuary; its thorny shrubs should not be uprooted; its trees should not be cut down; and its Luqata (fallen things) should not be picked up except by the one who would look for its owner. And if somebody is killed, his closest relative has the right to choose one of two things, i.e., either the Blood money or retaliation by having the killer killed." Then a man from Yemen, called Abu Shah, stood up and said, "(Write that) for me, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said (to his companions), "Write that for Abu Shah." Then another man from Quraish got up, saying, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Except Al-Idhkhir (a special kind of grass) as we use it in our houses and for graves." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Except Al-Idhkhir."

“We ordained for them in the Torah, “A life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and for wounds equal retaliation.” But whoever waives it charitably, it will be atonement for them. And those who do not judge by what Allah has revealed are truly the wrongdoers.”