Iran is preparing to execute Bita Hemmati, a female protester convicted over her role in recent , according to the opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). She is described as the first woman to face execution in connection with the unrest that erupted earlier this year.
Hemmati has been accused by Iranian authorities of using explosives and weapons, throwing objects during protests, attending gatherings, and “disrupting national security,” according to the NCRI statement. No execution date has been announced so far.
Multiple death sentences issued in same case
Her husband, Mohammadreza Majid Asl, 34, and two other men identified as Behrouz and Kourosh Zamaninezhad have also reportedly been sentenced to death following what rights groups describe as a rushed trial. A fifth individual, Amir Hemmati, is said to have received nearly six years in prison on charges including “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.”
Confiscation of property reported
The group allegedly arrested in Tehran also had their property confiscated, according to reports cited by the and the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.
Protest movement and crackdown
The unrest began with local strikes by shopkeepers and merchants in late December before spreading rapidly to Tehran and other cities. Students and other groups later joined the protests, escalating into nationwide demonstrations against the government.
Heavy toll reported amid crackdown
Rights groups have previously reported that thousands were killed or injured during the crackdown, with tens of thousands detained. The .
International appeal for intervention
The NCRI has urged the United Nations and international human rights bodies to intervene urgently to stop the executions, particularly those involving political prisoners and individuals detained during the protests.
