Najmeh Amini: “I Only Want Justice and the Opportunity to Defend Myself; Be My Voice”
Report at a Glance:
- Death Sentence & Imprisonment: Najmeh Amini, a 23-year-old accounting student, was sentenced to death by Judge Assian Branch 6 of the Criminal Division of the Revolutionary Court on 16 September 2026, following 8 months of arbitrary detention. She was also sentenced to 12 years and 6 months in prison in a separate case.
- Violent Arrest: Arrested on 31 January 2026 at Ferdowsi Bazaar in Mashhad amid severe physical beatings by security forces.
- Heavy Security Charges: Faced broad capital and security charges, including “Moharebeh” (enmity against God), “cooperation with Israel,” “Sab al-Nabi” (insulting the Prophet), “insulting the Supreme Leader,” and “clashing with security agents.”
- Systemic Fair Trial Violations: Complete denial of access to a lawyer of her choice, prolonged isolation in security wards, and reports indicating the risk of physical/psychological torture to extract coerced confessions.
- Audio Message from Prison: Direct appeal to international human rights bodies, legal associations, and the UN Human Rights Council to overturn her death sentence and grant her a fair opportunity to defend herself.
Introduction
The issuance of a death sentence against Najmeh Amini, a 23-year-old accounting student detained in the women’s ward of Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, has ignited a new wave of grave concern over the Iranian judiciary’s accelerated deployment of hasty, repressive verdicts against protesters and civil activists.
Documented information and an audio message transmitted by this political prisoner indicate that the investigation, trial, and issuance of her death sentence were marked by gross violations of fundamental human rights, denial of access to a fair trial, and reliance on vague security accusations.
- Violent Arrest and Prolonged Arbitrary Detention
Najmeh Amini was arrested on Saturday, 31 January 2026 (11 Bahman 1404), near Ferdowsi Bazaar in Mashhad, suffering severe physical beatings by state security forces.
According to human rights reports:
- Following her arrest, she was held in isolation in the security ward of Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad for nearly three months.
- She remained in a state of severe administrative and judicial limbo for 8 months, deprived of basic rights guaranteed to detainees.
- Heavy Security Charges
Throughout her detention and interrogation, security and judicial authorities leveled a series of security and criminal charges against the 23-year-old student—charges that raise widespread human rights concerns. The allegations against her include:
- “Moharebeh” (enmity against God);
- “Cooperation with a hostile state (Israel)”;
- “Sab al-Nabi” (insulting the Prophet);
- “Insulting the Supreme Leader”; and
- “Clashing with security and state personnel.”
Leveling charges such as “Moharebeh” and “Sab al-Nabi”—which carry the death penalty under the Islamic Penal Code of the Islamic Republic—alongside broad security accusations illustrate a well-documented pattern of fabricating charges to impose severe sentences on protesters.
- Unfair Trial Proceedings and Issuance of the Death Penalty
According to direct statements from Najmeh Amini in an audio recording released from inside prison on 18 September 2026 (27 Shahrivar 1405), her trial took place before Branch 6 of the Criminal Division of the Revolutionary Court:
- Death Sentence: On 16 September 2026 (25 Shahrivar 1405), her death sentence was issued and formally communicated by Judge Assian.
- Prison Sentence: In a separate case, she was sentenced to 12 years and 6 months of imprisonment.
- Denial of Counsel: Reliable reports confirm that Amini was completely denied access to a lawyer of her choice throughout her detention and legal proceedings.
- Torture & Coercion: Reports indicate the risk of physical and psychological torture during her time in the security ward to extract coerced confessions for use in court.
- Audio Appeal from Vakilabad Prison
On 18 September 2026, Najmeh Amini transmitted an audio message from Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, maintaining her innocence and calling for global attention from domestic and international human rights bodies. In this recording, released while under a death sentence, she appealed for intervention.
The transcript of her audio message from Vakilabad Prison is as follows:
“I Only Want Justice and the Opportunity to Defend Myself”
“Greetings to the people of Iran. I am Najmeh Amini, 23 years old, speaking from the central prison of Mashhad. I am leaving this message for you on 18 September 2026.
People, after spending 8 months in limbo, my death sentence was issued on 16 September 2026 in Branch 6 of the Criminal Division of the Revolutionary Court by Judge Assian.
I am not trying to make a hero out of myself today; I only ask one thing: be my voice. I am an innocent girl, a young person with so many hopes and dreams. I have parents who are waiting for me— a family that wakes up every morning fearing my loss.
I do not want the last remaining trace of me to be a few lines in a case file.
If my voice reaches outside the prison, please do not listen to it for just a moment and then forget it!
People, I only want justice and the opportunity to defend myself. I request lawyers, legal scholars, human rights activists, and everyone who hears the voices of innocent people to review my case file. I request international human rights organizations and responsible bodies at the United Nations to hear my voice and investigate and follow up on the status of my case.
Remember my name; I may not be able to speak again. But as long as I am alive, I hold one hope: that before the rope marks the end of my life, I see my prosperous and free Iran.”
Legal Analysis and Violation of International Instruments
The arrest, interrogation, and capital sentencing of Najmeh Amini constitute grave breaches of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s international legal obligations:
- Violation of Article 9, ICCPR: Prohibition of arbitrary arrest, severe physical violence upon detention, and failure to respect the rights of the accused during 8 months of unlawful detention.
- Violation of Article 14, ICCPR (Right to a Fair Trial): Absolute denial of access to legal representation of her choice, denial of adequate time and facilities to prepare a defense, and trial before courts lacking judicial independence.
- Violation of Article 7, ICCPR (Prohibition of Torture and Forced Confessions): Physical and psychological pressure applied in security wards to obtain self-incriminating statements relied upon in court.
- Arbitrary Deprivation of Life (Article 6, ICCPR): Imposing the death penalty based on political and ideological charges following proceedings lacking international fair trial standards constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of life. The UN Human Rights Committee has repeatedly underscored that the death penalty may only be applied for the “most serious crimes” and following proceedings adhering to the highest fair trial guarantees.
Conclusion
The case of Najmeh Amini exemplifies the systematic weaponization of the death penalty as a tool to intimidate society and suppress young protesters and student activists in Iran. Issuing a death sentence against a 23-year-old student after months of arbitrary detention, reported risk of torture, and complete denial of counsel doubles the urgency for immediate international intervention to stay and overturn this sentence.
Actionable Human Rights Requests
- The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Human Rights Council are requested to urgently demand an immediate stay of execution and a judicial review of the case in compliance with international fair trial standards.
- The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran is requested to prioritize Najmeh Amini’s case, documenting her denial of legal counsel and the verdicts against her in upcoming urgent communications and official reports.
- The UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions is requested to examine the death sentence issued against this 23-year-old political prisoner as an arbitrary deprivation of life.
- The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention is requested to investigate her 8 months of pre-trial detention, physical beatings during arrest, and prolonged isolation in Vakilabad Prison’s security ward.
- The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression and the Special Rapporteur on the right to education are requested to document and condemn the security repression and judicial fabrication targeting student protesters in Iran, including Najmeh Amini.
- All international legal bodies, bar associations, and human rights institutions are urged to demand the deployment of independent monitors or ensure access to independent legal counsel for a fair retrial in this case.
