Iranian authorities have sentenced 23-year-old student Najmeh Amini to death on charges of blasphemy, rights groups reported, marking a notable escalation in the use of capital punishment on political grounds. Amini was arrested in February in the northeastern city of Mashhad and received the death sentence in September for allegedly insulting the Prophet Mohammed, according to statements from multiple rights organizations, including the US-based Centre for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI), Human Rights Activists News Agency, and Norway-based Iran Human Rights.

Her case comes amid a rise in executions linked to political and security-related offenses in Iran. Since protests erupted in January 2026, at least 34 men have been hanged on protest-related charges, with at least eight women—including Amini—facing the death penalty. The use of blasphemy as a capital offense has been rare in recent years, making Amini’s sentence especially significant.

In an audio message shared from prison in September, Amini described herself as innocent and appealed for recognition of her plight. “I am an innocent girl. A young person with so many hopes and dreams. I have a mother and father who are waiting for me, a family who spend every night afraid of losing me until morning comes,” she said. She added, “Remember my name. Perhaps I won’t be able to speak anymore. But as long as I am alive, I have one hope: that before the rope becomes the end of my life, I will see a free and liberated Iran.”

Bahar Ghandehari, director of advocacy at CHRI, suggested that authorities may be using Amini’s sentence as a deterrent against growing dissent. “The authorities may... be using this rare and severe verdict to make an example of her and discourage similar acts as popular dissent continues to increase,” she said. Ghandehari further noted that Amini’s case is indicative of a broader pattern of arbitrary arrests, politically motivated prosecutions, and death sentences following the government’s harsh crackdown on protesters.

The death sentence against Amini is not final and remains subject to appeal. Rights groups continue to call for international attention to what they describe as judicial measures aimed at silencing opposition voices amid ongoing unrest in Iran.