Who is Najmeh Amini? 23-year-old Iranian woman sentenced to death over social media post

Najmeh Amini, a 23-year-old Iranian accounting student, has been sentenced to death on charges of blasphemy over a social media post, according to a report by The Guardian. Her case has raised concerns among human rights groups over Iran’s crackdown on freedom of expression and the increasing use of capital punishment against dissent.Amini’s death sentence is not final and remains subject to appeal before Iran’s Supreme Court. (iranhr.net)Amini was first arrested by Iranian security forces during nationwide anti-government protests in January, which were met with a deadly crackdown. According to the US-based Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI) news agency, Hrana, more than 50,000 people were arrested during the crackdown, while thousands were reported killed.She was arrested again in February by Iran’s cyber police, known as Fata, following online monitoring. A source close to her family told HRAI that she was subsequently sentenced to death on charges of “sab ol-nabi”, which refers to insulting the Prophet Muhammad.The exact content of the social media post that led to her death sentence has not been publicly disclosed.Who is Najmeh Amini?Amini is a 23-year-old accounting student from Iran who was detained during the January anti-government protests before being arrested again in February over her online activity.In a separate case, she was sentenced to 12 years, six months and one day in prison on charges that reportedly include acting against national security and spreading propaganda against the Iranian regime.In an audio recording released last month and attributed to Amini, she appealed to the international community, the United Nations, lawyers and human rights organisations to investigate her case.“I do not want to make a hero out of myself today. I only want one thing: be my voice,” she said, as per The Guardian.“I am an innocent young girl with so many hopes and dreams. “I have parents who are waiting for me. A family that every night, with the fear of losing me, turns their night into morning,” Amini added.(Also Read: Christa Pike survives 2 doses of lethal drug: A look at botched executions in the US)What is Iran’s blasphemy law?Under Article 262 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, insulting the Prophet Muhammad or revered Shia figures is punishable by death. However, article 263 provides certain exemptions for statements made without deliberate intent or while intoxicated, although other punishments, including flogging, may still apply in some circumstances.According to Iranian newspaper Khorasan, which confirmed the judicial proceedings, Amini told the court that she had made the remarks while hallucinating after taking psychedelic mushrooms with friends. Her defence reportedly argued that the incident was a “slip of the tongue”.However, the presiding judge rejected the defence, reportedly questioning why she had not insulted other individuals or opponents of the Iranian regime, including the United States and Israel, if she had been in a hallucinatory state.Amini’s death sentence is not final and remains subject to appeal before Iran’s Supreme Court.Human rights groups raise alarm over death sentenceHuman rights organisations have warned that Iranian authorities are increasingly using capital punishment to intimidate the population and suppress dissent. According to Oslo-based Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO), more than 600 executions have already been carried out in Iran this year.Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of IHRNGO, said Amini’s case should serve as a serious warning.“Sentencing a young woman to death for what she posted on social media risks normalising the use of the death penalty against peaceful expression and pushing the boundaries of the death penalty even further,” he said.Amiry-Moghaddam also warned that Iranian authorities were testing the international community’s tolerance of capital punishment. “If the international community does not respond firmly now, cases like this could become far more common,” he said.