Iran hangs woman despite international campaign

A 26-year-old Iranian woman convicted of murdering a man she said had tried to rape her as a teenager was hanged on Saturday, despite international pleas for her life to be spared. Amnesty International condemned her killing, describing it as “a bloody stain on Iran’s human rights record” and “an affront to justice.” Iranian actors and other prominent figures had campaigned for clemency on her behalf, echoing similar calls in the West.

Tragically, this case is far from uncommon. Once again Iran has insisted on applying the death penalty despite serious concerns over the fairness of the trial.

Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, global human rights monitor’s deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa

A UN human rights monitor said the killing came in self-defence after Sarbandi tried to sexually abuse Jabbari in 2007, and that the condemned woman’s trial in 2009 had been deeply flawed. Under Iranian law, the only way that Jabbari’s life could have been spared was if the family of the victim, Morteza Abdolali Sarbandi, granted Jabbari a pardon. However, relatives of Sarbandi, a 47-year-old surgeon who earlier worked for the intelligence ministry refused to extend mercy. According to Iranian media, they demanded that she tell “the truth”.

Reyhaneh Jabbari Middle East