The Islamic Republic of Iran has sentenced 23-year-old accounting student Najama Amini to death for insulting the Prophet Muhammad in a social media post, as human rights groups warn the regime is increasingly using executions to quell dissent.
Amini was arrested in Mashhad in February 2026 following anti-government protests and investigations by Iran's Cyber Police. She was subsequently imprisoned in Wakilabad prison, where rights monitors reported that she faced prolonged detention and restrictions on access to legal representation.
Branch 6 of the Khorasan Razavi Criminal Court, presided over by Judge Javad Essian-Yazd, convicted her of sab al-nabi, or insulting the Prophet, an offense punishable by death under Iran's Islamic Penal Code.
In a desperate voice appeal from prison, Amini declared:
"Remember my name; I may never speak again. She also pleaded for international intervention before her execution.
More than 600 executions have been reported in Iran this year.