Death Sentence Issued Against “Najma Amini” for Virtual Space Activities

Najma Amini, a 23-year-old accounting student and detainee held in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, has been sentenced to death in one of Iran’s latest capital punishment cases. Her primary charge is listed as “insulting the Prophet,” and her case relates to her activities in cyberspace. While the sentence is not yet final, it has once again raised concerns about the use of capital punishment to suppress freedom of expression and protest in Iran.

Najma Amini, a 23-year-old student and resident of Mashhad, is currently detained in Vakilabad Prison in the city, where the Criminal Court of Khorasan Razavi has issued a death sentence against her. According to published reports, the sentence was issued based on charges of “insulting the Prophet” in connection with content she published in cyberspace.

The news became public in recent days following the publication of a report by the newspaper “Khorasan” on September 6, 2026 (15 Mehr 1405 in the Persian calendar). The newspaper, without mentioning her full name, referred to the detainee by the abbreviated initials “N-A” and reported that the sixth branch of the Criminal Court of Khorasan Razavi, headed by Javad Asyan Yazd, has issued a death sentence against her.

However, an examination of human rights reports indicates that the sentence was issued before the Khorasan newspaper published the news. According to Hengaw, Najma Amini’s death sentence was issued on September 16, 2026 (25 Shahrivar 1405), and following notification of the ruling, she released an audio message from Vakilabad Prison requesting a fair review of her case. Amini stated in the audio message that the judicial apparatus issued her death sentence on that date.

In part of her message, Najma Amini says: “Today I don’t want to make myself a hero. I only want one thing: be my voice. I am an innocent girl, a young person full of hopes and dreams.”

This message is the voice of a 23-year-old detainee who, after months of judicial uncertainty, now faces a death sentence. The ruling can still be appealed, and if contested, the case can be referred to the Supreme Court for review.

However, Najma Amini’s case is not limited to the death sentence alone. In a separate case, she has also been sentenced by the first branch of the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad to 12 years, six months, and one day of imprisonment. The charges in this case include “action against national security” and “propaganda activities against the system.”

According to published reports, Amini was arrested on February 1, 2025 (11 Bahman 1404) in the vicinity of Ferdowsi Passage in Mashhad during the December 2024 protests and was subsequently transferred to Vakilabad Prison. Hengaw had previously reported that she faced charges including “moharebeh” (waging war against God), “cooperation with Israel,” “insulting the Supreme Leader,” “insulting the Prophet,” and confrontation with officials.

In August, it was also reported that a hearing on some of her charges was held at the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad. At that stage, charges of “assembly and conspiracy against national security” and “insulting sacred figures and the Imams” were raised.

One important aspect of this case is the change in the religious charge designation. According to human rights organizations, Najma Amini initially faced charges of “insulting the Imams,” but during judicial proceedings, this charge was changed to “insulting the Prophet”—a charge that under Islamic Republic law can result in capital punishment.

This case has also raised serious concerns about freedom of expression in cyberspace and how the judicial system deals with Iranian internet users. While Islamic Republic authorities have repeatedly spoken of combating “cyberspace crimes,” in cases like Najma Amini’s, internet activities can lead to serious security and religious charges and ultimately to a death sentence.

Furthermore, the use of capital punishment in cases related to protests has faced severe criticism from human rights organizations in recent months. In recent years, Iran has had one of the highest execution rates in the world, and human rights organizations have repeatedly warned about the widespread use of capital punishment in political, security, and religious cases.

From this perspective, Najma Amini’s case is particularly significant: a young woman of 23 years old who, after her arrest during protests, faces two separate legal cases with a combined sentence of more than 12 years in prison and one death sentence.

For a society where freedom of expression, freedom of thought, and the right to peaceful protest should be fundamental rights of citizens, the transformation of a young person’s writings and internet activities into a case carrying a death sentence raises serious questions about the proportionality of crime and punishment, the right to defense, and the independence of judicial proceedings.

From the perspective of Christians and other religious minorities in Iran, this case is also worthy of reflection. Charges such as “insulting sacred figures” and “insulting the Prophet” in the Islamic Republic’s judicial system are not merely considered a difference of belief or religion, but can subject an individual to the most severe possible punishment. This raises deep concerns for a society in which freedom of religion and conscience should be respected for all citizens.

In Najma Amini’s case, one important stage remains: the death sentence is not yet final, and there is still the opportunity to appeal and have the case reviewed by the Supreme Court. Therefore, what is currently certain is only the issuance of the death sentence by the primary court, not its execution.

Nevertheless, Najma Amini’s voice from within Vakilabad Prison, before any final judicial decision, carries a simple request: to be heard. She has described herself as an “innocent girl full of hopes and dreams” and has asked people, lawyers, human rights organizations, and international bodies to examine her case.

In a country where a death sentence can be issued following activity in cyberspace, the fundamental question is not merely the fate of one 23-year-old detainee; the question is where the line lies between the enforcement of law and the suppression of freedom of expression, and what institution is responsible for protecting the right to defense of a citizen facing the threat of execution.