Iran, 23-year-old sentenced to death for blasphemy over a social media post

A 23-year-old student has been sentenced to death in Iran after being accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad in a social media post.

The case of Najmeh Amini has raised deep concern among international human rights organizations, which warn that capital punishment is increasingly being turned into an instrument to silence critical voices and political opponents of the regime.

Amini, who studies accounting, is being held in Vakilabad prison in the northeastern city of Mashhad. In addition to the death sentence, she was given 12 years, six months and one day in prison in a separate trial for offenses related to national security and spreading propaganda against the regime.

According to a source close to her family, cited by the organization Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI), the 23-year-old was found guilty of the criminal offense of “sab ol-nabi,” which concerns insulting the Prophet Muhammad.

Under Article 262 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, insulting the Prophet Muhammad is punishable by death. Article 263, meanwhile, provides for some exceptions, such as when statements are made without intent to offend or under the influence of alcohol, although in certain situations other punishments may be prescribed.

Amini was arrested by security forces during the mass anti-government protests in January, which were violently suppressed. International media report that thousands of people were killed during the unrest, while the Hrana news agency, linked to HRAI, reported more than 50,000 arrests.

Human rights organizations have also raised concern over the high number of executions in Iran. According to the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights Organization (IHRNGO), more than 600 people have been executed in the country since the beginning of this year.

Last month, in a voice message released from prison, Amini asked international organizations, the United Nations and lawyers to intervene and pursue her case.

“I don’t want to present myself as a heroine today. I want only one thing: to be my voice,” she said.

“I am an innocent young girl with so many hopes and dreams. I have parents waiting for me. A family that stays awake every night afraid of losing me,” the 23-year-old added.

IHRNGO director Mahmoud Amiri-Moghaddam called the case particularly alarming and warned that a death sentence for a social media post could set a dangerous precedent.

According to him, such a decision risks normalizing the use of the death penalty against peaceful expression and increasing the number of cases in which it is imposed.

Amiri-Moghaddam added that Iranian authorities are testing the limits of the international community’s response to the death penalty. He warned that the absence of a firm response could lead to more frequent repetitions of similar cases.

According to the Iranian newspaper “Khorasan,” during the trial Amini said that the comments that led to her conviction were published after she had consumed hallucinogenic mushrooms with friends. The defense argued that it was an unintentional expression and asked the court to take her condition at the time into account.

However, the judge dismissed the defense argument and, according to the newspaper’s report, asked her: “Why, in the same state of delusion, didn’t you insult other figures or opponents of the regime, such as America and Israel?”

The death sentence against the 23-year-old has not become final and can be appealed to Iran’s Supreme Court.