Iranian Child Bride Escapes Death Row After Family Accepts Rs 85 Lakh Blood Money

Goli Kouhkan was forced into marriage with her cousin at just 12 years of age. (Representational Image)

A former child bride in Iran, who faced imminent execution this month, has received a life-saving reprieve after her deceased husband's parents agreed to forgive her in exchange for blood money totaling approximately 8 billion tomans (roughly Rs 85 lakh).

Goli Kouhkan, now 25, had spent seven years on death row in Gorgan central prison. She was arrested at age 18 for allegedly participating in the killing of her abusive husband, Alireza Abil, in May 2018. She received a 'qisas' sentence, an Islamic legal principle meaning "retribution-in-kind" or "an eye for an eye."

As an undocumented member of Iran's Baluch minority, Kouhkan was coerced into marrying her cousin when she was only 12 years old. Reports indicate she endured persistent physical and emotional abuse throughout her marriage.

Iranian law allows a victim's family to pardon a convicted individual in exchange for diya (blood money). In Kouhkan's case, the initially demanded amount was 10 billion tomans, later reduced to 8 billion. Her lawyer confirmed on December 9 that sufficient funds had been successfully raised through donations from within Iran and abroad.

The judiciary's Mizan News Agency released footage showing the victim's parents signing the necessary documentation, formally agreeing to waive their right to demand execution.

Kouhkan gave birth to a son at the age of 13 while continuing to suffer abuse throughout her marriage. On the day her husband died, she reportedly discovered him beating their five-year-old son. She called his cousin, Mohammad Abil, for assistance. A physical confrontation ensued between the men, resulting in Alireza Abil's death. Mohammad Abil remains sentenced to death.

According to The Guardian, Mehdi Ghatei, founder of the Qasim Child Foundation in Australia who initiated a fundraiser for Kouhkan, stated that organizations and individuals worldwide rallied to support her after her story gained attention.

"The Iranian regime tries to keep people silent," he remarked. "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."

Kouhkan now hopes to reunite with her son following her release. Her son is entitled to 2 billion tomans from the total blood money, which Ghatei described as "a good sum for establishing a new life."

According to Iran Human Rights, at least 241 women were executed in Iran between 2010 and 2024. Of these, 114 received qisas sentences for homicide, with many having killed abusive husbands or partners. Amnesty International documented 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 of these women were former child brides.