GENEVA - UN human rights experts* today urged Iran to halt the execution of Goli Kouhkan, a 25-year-old undocumented Baluch woman set to be executed this month.
"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 experts said. "Carrying out the execution would constitute a grave violation of international human rights law."
Kouhkan was forced into marriage at the age of 12 to her cousin and subjected to years of physical and psychological violence while working as a farm labourer. At 13, she gave birth at home without medical care. When she attempted to escape the abusive marriage, her efforts were unsuccessful due to her undocumented status and societal pressure.
In May 2018, when Kouhkan was 18 years old, her husband beat both her and their five-year-old son. After a relative was called to help, a confrontation ensued which resulted in her husband's death.
"Goli Kouhkan is a survivor of domestic violence and a victim of the justice system," the experts said. "Her execution would represent a profound injustice. The State would be killing a woman who endured years of gender-based violence while defending herself and her child."
Iranian courts failed to consider the sustained pattern of abuse or assess specific circumstances surrounding her actions, they said.
During interrogation, Kouhkan, who is illiterate and had no access to legal representation, was reportedly subjected to psychological pressure and coerced into accepting full responsibility for her husband's death. This confession formed the basis for her qisas (retribution-in-kind) sentence.
The victim's family has agreed to forgo execution only if Kouhkan pays 10 billion tomans (USD 90,000) in "blood money" according to Iran's Penal Code. "This is an amount considerably higher than the recommended rate and far beyond her reach, especially as an undocumented woman who has been rejected by her family," the experts said.
"We have repeatedly conveyed to the Government of Iran that the qisas system creates discriminatory sentencing based on gender and socioeconomic background," they said. "Kouhkan faces execution not based on justice, but because she cannot afford to pay for her life."
The experts noted that Kouhkan's case reflects a broader pattern of discrimination against women across Iran's justice system. At least 241 women were executed between 2010 and 2024, 114 of whom were sentenced to qisas for homicide. Notably, the majority of women executed for homicide in the documented cases had killed their husband or intimate partner. Many of these women were victims of domestic violence or child marriage, or acted in self-defence.
As an undocumented Baluch woman, Kouhkan has experienced multiple layers of discrimination. She has been denied access to legal protections, education, and State-services throughout her life.
"This is a woman who was sold into marriage as a child, brutalised for years, and then abandoned by her family and the justice system," the experts said. "Her case starkly illustrates how gender discrimination and ethnic marginalisation intersect to create profound injustice."
The experts called for urgent intervention to halt the execution and ensure full compliance with international human rights standards. They are in contact with Iranian authorities on this issue.
