Najmeh Amini, 23, sentenced to death in Iran for blasphemy
Najmeh Amini, 23, has been sentenced to death in Iran after a court ruled her social media post was blasphemous toward Prophet Muhammad.
She also received 12 years, six months and one day in prison in a separate case for "acting against national security."
Rights groups have raised the alarm over Iran's increasing use of the death penalty.
Amini's mushrooms defense rejected, appeal pending
Amini was arrested during big protests in January 2026. In court, she said she posted while under the influence of psychedelic mushrooms, but the judge did not accept that explanation.
Her sentence remains subject to appeal before Iran's Supreme Court.
Human rights groups have strongly condemned her punishment, saying Iran is using executions to silence dissent: more than 600 executions have already happened this year.
Iranian lawmakers are also seeking to criminalize contact with all foreign media, including posts on social media deemed to be financed by another country.