A young woman in Iran, once a child bride, is now facing execution unless she can gather £80,000 to pay as blood money to her late husband’s family. This grim situation spotlights the harsh realities faced by many in the region.

Goli Koukhan, who has spent the last seven years on death row in Gorgan, northern Iran, faces a looming deadline in December to raise this daunting sum. Her story is a stark reminder of the intersection of poverty, tradition, and rigid justice systems.

Activists highlight Goli’s difficult upbringing, marked by severe poverty. At the tender age of 12, she was married off to her cousin, a fate not uncommon in her community. By 13, she had already become a mother, thrust into adult responsibilities far too soon.

The tragic turn of events that led to her arrest occurred in 2018. Goli, now 25, was charged with the death of her husband. The court sentenced her under the principle of qisas, a form of retributive justice, which demands compensation for the life lost.

The situation escalated when, at 18, she witnessed her husband violently beating their five-year-old son. This incident, among others, adds a complex layer to her legal and moral predicament.

She called a cousin for help, and a fight broke out, resulting in her spouse’s death. 

When she called an ambulance and told them what happened, she was arrested along with her cousin. 

During questioning, Koukhan had no lawyer and campaigners say she cannot read or write. 

A picture showing a group of women in an Iranian prison. Goli Koukhan, who is said to be from a poor background has until December to pay the huge sum 

Despite this, it has been reported that she was forced to sign a confession. 

A court lawyer was later assigned to her. The court then sentenced her to death by hanging. 

Under Iranian law, the families of victims can choose to forgive a killer if they pay compensation to them. 

Activists say prison officials agreed she would be spared if she is able to pay £80,000 and leave Gorgan. She is also expected to lose all contact with her 11-year-old son, who now lives with his paternal grandparents. 

The stipulation in that agreement dictates that her scheduled execution will go ahead if she fails to raise the sum. 

Koukhan is from the Baluch community, said to be one of the most advantaged groups in the country. 

When she once ran away from her marital home back to her father’s, he sent her back and told her: ‘I gave my daughter away in a white dress, the only way you can return [is wrapped in a shroud]’.

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, a representative of Iran Human Rights, said: ‘Kouhkan belongs to an ethnic minority, she’s a woman, and she is poor. She is probably the absolute weakest in Iranian society.

‘Her sentence is symbolic of Iranian authorities’ use of the death penalty to create fear, and the discriminatory laws and societal factors that have led to this situation.’

In September, Amnesty International condemned Iran’s huge rise in executions. The charity reported that more than 1,000 people had been killed in 2025 alone. 

The organisation’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa said executions had been ‘systematically weaponised the death penalty as a tool of repression and to quash dissent while displaying a chilling assault on the right to life.’

Her case follows other high-profile executions of women who were married off as children and later accused of killing abusive husbands. 

Samira Sabzian Fard, Fatemeh Salbehi and Zeinab Sekaanvand were all put to death after trials criticised by rights groups. 

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Iran executes more women than any other country in the world. 

In March of this year, the country executed Nasrin Barani, a 29-year-old woman accused of murdering her ex-husband, who is reported to have been stalking her. 

Last month, Nadid Hemati became the 33rd woman to be executed this year when she was hanged for drug-related offences in Nahavand Prison. 

According to Iran Human Rights, at least 31 women were executed for drug-related, murder, and security-related charges in Iran.