RismadarVoice Reporters
October 21, 2026
An Iranian court has sentenced a 23-year-old university student, Najmeh Amini, to death over a social media post deemed insulting to the Prophet Muhammad, prompting condemnation from international human rights organisations.
Amini, an accounting student detained in Mashhad, northeastern Iran, was convicted of sabb al-nabi, a blasphemy offence punishable by death under Iranian law.
According to the Centre for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) and Iran Human Rights (IHR), the young woman was arrested on February 3, 2026, following surveillance of her online activities by Iran’s cyber police.
In an audio message recorded from prison on September 18, Amini said she had received the death sentence two days earlier, on September 16.
The student denied wrongdoing and appealed to the international community, lawyers and human rights organisations to intervene.
She described herself as an innocent young woman with aspirations for the future, expressing concern about the emotional suffering her imprisonment had caused her family.
Amini was also sentenced to 12 years, six months and one day in prison in a separate case involving allegations of acting against national security and spreading propaganda against the Iranian government.
Human rights organisations have questioned the fairness of the proceedings and raised concerns about the treatment of detainees following widespread anti-government protests earlier this year.
According to reports of the court proceedings, Amini’s lawyer argued that the social media comments were not intentional.
The defendant reportedly maintained that she had consumed hallucinogenic mushrooms before publishing the disputed material.
However, the court rejected the defence and imposed the death sentence.
The exact content of the social media post has not been publicly disclosed.
Under Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, insulting the Prophet Muhammad can attract capital punishment, although the legislation also recognises certain circumstances, including intoxication and lack of intent, as potential grounds for avoiding that sentence.
Bahar Ghandehari, CHRI’s Director of Advocacy, condemned the ruling, describing it as an attack on freedom of expression and urging international intervention.
Similarly, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, Director of Iran Human Rights, warned that imposing capital punishment over online expression could encourage the wider application of death sentences in similar cases.
The organisations linked Amini’s prosecution to broader concerns about arrests, executions and restrictions on civil liberties following Iran’s January 2026 protests.
They called on Iranian authorities to overturn the sentence and ensure that she receives a fair judicial process.
Amini remains in detention, and her death sentence is subject to appellate review.
As of October 21, the sentence had not been confirmed by Iran’s Supreme Court, meaning the judicial process had not reached its final stage.
