Iran Child Bride Escapes Execution In Exchange For Rs 85 Lakh Blood Money

A child bride who was to be executed this month in Iran had her life spared after the parents of her late husband agreed to forgive her in exchange for blood money worth about 8 billion tomans (about Rs 85 lakh).

Goli Kouhkan, now 25, was on death row in Iran's Gorgan central prison for seven years. She was arrested at 18 for allegedly taking part in the killing of her abusive husband, Alireza Abil, in May 2018 and was sentenced to ‘qisas'. Qisas is a principle in Islamic criminal law that means “retribution-in-kind” or “an eye for an eye.”

An undocumented member of Iran's Baluch minority, she was forced to marry her cousin at the age of 12 and reportedly endured years of physical and emotional abuse.

Under Iranian law, a victim's family can pardon a convicted person in exchange for diya (blood money). Initially set at 10 billion tomans, the amount demanded in Kouhkan's case was later reduced to 8 billion tomans. Her lawyer confirmed on December 9 that the money had been successfully raised through donations in Iran and abroad.

A video released by the judiciary's Mizan News Agency shows the victim's parents signing the required documents. The plaintiffs formally agreed to forgo their right to seek execution.

Kouhkan gave birth to a son at 13 and continued to face abuse throughout her marriage. On the day her husband died, she reportedly found him beating their five-year-old son. She called his cousin, Mohammad Abil, for help. A fight broke out between the men, leading to Alireza Abil's death. Mohammad Abil remains on death row.

Mehdi Ghatei, founder of the Qasim Child Foundation in Australia, who launched a fundraiser for Kouhkan, said organisations and individuals worldwide came to support her after news of the case spread, as per The Guardian.

“The Iranian regime tries to keep people silent,” he said. “When people start raising awareness [of cases such as Kouhkan's] there is sometimes huge pressure from international bodies, which increases the chances of halting executions. The role of the mainstream media is huge in this case, unbelievable.”

Now, Kouhkan hopes to reunite with her son after her release. Her son is entitled to 2 billion tomans of the total blood money, which Ghatei described as “a good sum for establishing a new life.”

Iran has executed at least 241 women between 2010 and 2024, according to Iran Human Rights. Of these, 114 were sentenced under qisas for homicide, and many had killed abusive husbands or partners. Amnesty International reported at least 30 women executed last year. Rights groups report that at least 42 women, including 18 for killing their husbands, have already been executed in 2025. Two among them were child brides.