Iranian student sentenced to death for online post

Court verdict for digital expressions

The Iranian human rights organisation Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI) reported that 23-year-old student Najme Amini has been sentenced to death. The primary basis for this decision was the charge of insulting Prophet Muhammad, which is based on her publications on social media.

According to a source close to the defendant's family, the verdict was handed down on a charge of blasphemy. The woman is currently held in a prison in the north-east of the country. The Guardian's findings indicate that the specific content of the posts that led to the criminal case is not being disclosed publicly.

Circumstances of arrest and protest context

Amini was arrested during mass anti-government protests that took place in January 2026. At that time, Iranian authorities brutally suppressed the demonstrations. According to human rights defenders, thousands of people died as a result of these events, while the agency Hrana recorded the detention of over 50,000 protest participants.

The student's arrest occurred after Iranian cyber police identified her publications while monitoring the online space.

Appeal to the international community

Last month, an audio recording attributed to Najme Amini appeared online. In it, she appealed to the UN, lawyers, and international human rights organisations to intervene in her case.

«Я не хочу робити із себе героїню. Я прошу лише про одне: станьте моїм голосом. Я невинна молода дівчина, у якої багато надій і мрій. У мене є батьки, які чекають на мене. Є родина, яка щоночі живе у страху, що може мене втратити» (I do not want to make a hero of myself. I am asking for only one thing: become my voice. I am an innocent young girl with many hopes and dreams. I have parents who are waiting for me. There is a family that lives in fear every night that they may lose me), she said.

Defence arguments and court position

According to information from the Iranian newspaper Khorasan, which confirmed the fact of the court hearing, Amini explained her posts by stating that she wrote them in a state of hallucinations after consuming psychedelic mushrooms with friends.

Lawyers insisted that their client's statements were thoughtless and did not intend to offend religious feelings. However, the judge rejected these arguments.

«Чому ж у тому самому стані галюцинацій ви не образили інших людей або противників режиму, наприклад Америку чи Ізраїль?» (Why, in that same state of hallucination, did you not insult other people or opponents of the regime, for example America or Israel?), he asked.

Legal basis and execution statistics

Under Iranian law, insulting Prophet Muhammad or respected Shia religious figures is punishable by death. At the same time, the law provides exceptions for statements made while intoxicated or without intent. However, even in such cases, a person may be sentenced to up to 74 lashes.

Amini's death sentence is not yet final. It can be appealed to the Supreme Court of Iran.

Human rights defenders warn that Iranian authorities are increasingly applying the death penalty to intimidate the population and suppress dissent. According to the organisation Iran Human Rights, more than 600 people have been executed in the country since the beginning of 2026.