Iranian woman handed death sentence for ‘blasphemy’ in social media post

Rights groups warn of Tehran regime’s increasing use of executions to suppress dissent, with at least 600 this year

Human rights groups have raised the alarm over the growing number of death sentences and executions in Iran, after reports that a 23-year-old woman, Najmeh Amini, has been sentenced to death for blasphemy over a social-media post.

A source close to Amini’s family told the US-based Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI) that Amini was sentenced to death on charges of “sab ol-nabi” (insulting the prophet).

Amini was arrested by security forces during January’s nationwide protests, which were suppressed with a deadly crackdown. Thousands were reported killed, while the HRAI news agency, Hrana, said more than 50,000 people were arrested.

“I do not want to make a hero out of myself today. I only want one thing: be my voice,” she said.

Rights groups warn that the Iranian authorities are increasingly using capital punishment to instil fear and suppress dissent. According to the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO), more than 600 executions have already been carried out this year.

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of IHRNGO, said Amini’s case should be seen as a serious warning.

Amiry-Moghaddam added that the Iranian authorities were testing the international community’s “tolerance” towards capital punishment. “If the international community does not respond firmly now, cases like this could become far more common,” he said.

According to the Iranian newspaper Khorasan, which confirmed the judicial proceedings, Amini told the court she had posted the remarks while hallucinating after taking psychedelic mushrooms with friends and her defence argued it was a “slip of the tongue”.

Amini’s death sentence is not final and remains subject to appeal before Iran’s supreme court.

The student’s sentencing comes at a time when Iranian lawmakers are seeking to criminalise contact with all foreign media, including posts on social media deemed to be financed by another country.

“I was arrested even though my social-media account was private. So it’s not just the regime’s cyber-police we have to worry about. There’s also this constant mistrust, this feeling that someone is watching me all the time, even when I’m alone in my room.