President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that he has successfully halted the execution of eight women arrested during recent Iran protests. Four of them will be released immediately and the others will serve a one-month sentence. he added. However, Tehran has challenged these claims.
Trump claims intervention stopped executions
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Very good news! I have just been informed that the eight women protestors who were going to be executed tonight in Iran will no longer be killed. Four will be released immediately, and four will be sentenced to one month in prison.”
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He added, “I very much appreciate that Iran, and its leaders, respected my request, as President of the United States, and terminated the planned execution.”
Earlier, Trump had publicly urged Iran to free the women, saying, “I would greatly appreciate the release of these women.”
Iran denies execution claims
However, Iran’s judiciary pushed back strongly, dismissing the narrative as misinformation. In a statement carried by its official outlet, authorities said: “Trump was misled once again by fake news.”
“The women who were claimed to be on the verge of execution, some of them have been released, while others face charges that, if convictions are upheld, would at most result in imprisonment,” the judiciary added.
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Activists identify women, raise concerns
US-based Iranian dissident Masih Alinejad shared the names of the eight women online, urging global attention. “Say their names,” she wrote, alleging that one of those detained is as young as 16.
Rights groups say the women were arrested during the January protests, which were reportedly met with a severe crackdown.
Among those identified:
Bita Hemmati — reportedly sentenced to death alongside three men, including her husband, over allegations of attacking security forces.
Mahboubeh Shabani, 32 — charged with the capital offense of “waging war against God” for allegedly aiding injured protesters. She is currently being held in Mashhad’s Vakilabad prison.
Wider human rights concerns
International watchdogs have warned about Iran’s use of capital punishment. Groups including Iran Human Rights and Together Against the Death Penalty reported that at least 1,639 people were executed in 2025, including 48 women.
These organisations accuse Iranian authorities of using executions as a tool to instill fear, particularly amid heightened geopolitical tensions involving the US and Israel.
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