Iran to execute first female protester tied to anti-regime unrest

close Video Former Iranian wrestler urges US to include ‘humanitarian causes’ in negotiations with Iran Former Iranian wrestler Sardar Pashaei discusses reports Iran is set to execute a female prisoner and what the U.S. should demand in talks on ‘The Story.’ NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Hören Sie sich diesen Artikel an 3 Min Iran is set to execute its first female protester tied to the January 2026 uprising in Tehran, according to multiple human rights organizations. Bita Hemmati was named in a collective death sentencing alongside three other defendants, including her husband, Mohammadreza Majid-Asl, 34, according to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). The couple’s reported neighbors, Behrouz Zamaninejad and Kourosh Zamaninejad, were also sentenced to death, while a relative, Amir Hemmati, received five years in prison. The verdicts mark some of the most recent capital punishment decisions amid the government’s broader crackdown on suppressing unrest. Possibly thousands of protesters have reportedly been killed since demonstrations erupted this year. TRUMP DETAILS SWEEPING 'ALL OR NOTHING' BLOCKADE OF STRAIT OF HORMUZ AFTER FAILED Iran TALKS Iranians gather while blocking a street during a protest in Tehran, Iran on Jan. 9, 2026. (MAHSA / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images) "Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl and Bita Hemmati are a couple living in Tehran, and Amir Hemmati is a relative of the two," a source told HRANA. "Kourosh Zamaninejad and Behrouz Zamaninejad were living in the same residential building, and their arrests took place simultaneously." The Tehran Revolutionary Court reportedly accused the defendants of multiple offenses, including national security disruption in connection with the "hostile government of the United States," according to HRANA. On Jan. 8 and 9, the defendants allegedly used explosives and weapons, threw objects such as concrete blocks and incendiary materials from rooftops, injured security forces, and engaged in "propaganda against the regime" in an effort to undermine security, according to federal authorities. Iran THREATENS TO HALT RED SEA TRAFFIC IN RESPONSE TO US MILITARY BLOCKADE OF PORTS In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP) Alongside the capital punishment verdicts, the court also issued five years of discretionary imprisonment and ordered the seizure of their personal assets. Officials added that the fifth associate, Amir Hemmati, was specifically convicted of "assembly and collusion against national security" and "propaganda against the regime," the groups said. Human rights activists further raised concerns that the defendants’ confessions may have been coerced, citing allegations of torture and interrogation. Mourners hold pictures of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Isfahan, Iran, Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Payman Shahsanaei/ISNA via AP) The organizations, which are urging a halt to the executions, also claimed a lack of specific evidence linking the accused to the alleged crimes, and argued that Tehran is seeking to intimidate the public in order to prevent future civilian unrest. Widespread protests first erupted in late December 2025 in Tehran amid an economic crisis marked by a collapsing currency and soaring inflation. Tensions then quickly escalated into broader anti-government unrest that spread across multiple cities. Washington officially joined the conflict with the launch of Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28, 2026, when it conducted massive joint airstrikes with Israel that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Bonny Chu is a Digital Production Assistant at Fox News Digital. Fox News' Antisemitism Exposed" newsletter brings you stories on the rising anti-Jewish prejudice across the U.S. and the world." By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter!