Iranian protestor also sentenced to 'death' for insulting the Prophet

A 23-year-old university student, Najmeh Aminiy, who has been sentenced to death in Iran for a social media post against the Prophet, is pleading with the whole world, "I don't want to be a hero. I only want one thing. Please be my voice..." She is an accounting student, and for her...

 This harsh sentence has been imposed on her based on an accusation that she published a social media post insulting the founder of Islam. This offense, known as 'Sabb al-Nabi' in Iranian law, carries the death penalty in Iran. However, what was actually contained in the social media post she allegedly published has not yet been made public.

Last month, an audio recording of Najmeh was released to the media, in which she appealed to human rights organizations, lawyers, and the United Nations worldwide to intervene to save her life. "I am an ordinary girl living with many dreams. My mother and father go to sleep every night with great sadness, fearing that I might be lost," she had stated.

Lawyers representing her argued in court that on the day of the incident, she had used a drug called 'psychedelic mushrooms' with a group of friends. They pointed out that she committed this offense due to the hallucinations and disorientation caused by the drug. According to Iranian law, if a person makes such a statement while intoxicated or in a state of mental incapacitation, there is a possibility of mitigating the punishment.

However, the judge completely rejected that argument. He gave a very peculiar argument in response. The judge had questioned, "If she was truly under the influence of drugs and disoriented, why didn't she say anything against America or Israel?"

Najmeh was first arrested in January of this year during massive protests against the Iranian government. During the suppression of those protests, thousands were killed and over 50,000 people were arrested in attacks by security forces. Subsequently, the Iranian Cyber Police, which monitors internet activities, re-arrested her in February.

In addition to the death penalty, she has also been sentenced to over twelve and a half years in prison in another case under charges of acting in a manner that threatens national security and spreading propaganda against the government.

However, the death sentence imposed on Najmeh is not yet a final verdict, and she has the opportunity to file an appeal against it with the Supreme Court. With this incident, human rights organizations worldwide are deeply concerned, pointing out that the Iranian government has made the death penalty a powerful weapon to suppress freedom of speech and the voices of protesters in Iran.