Iranian Blogger Sentenced to Death Amid Political Tensions
An Iranian blogger has been sentenced to death for what authorities describe as “corruption on earth,” following claims that she insulted the country’s supreme leader, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
Marzieh “Souda” Ebrahimi Shamsabadi, who is 32 years old, faced multiple charges, including “media and propaganda activities against national security,” and allegedly sending images of military sites to foreign media outlets. HRANA notes that she reportedly also engaged in “intelligence and security activities on behalf of hostile governments.”
In a poignant message shared on social media on February 23, Shamsabadi acknowledged the dangers she faced. She wrote, “If I ever leave this world, just know one thing: I chose a path that I believed in,” and added a striking statement: “either I die or these bastards.”
In conjunction with her death sentence, Branch 3 of the Bandar Abbas Revolutionary Court imposed a prison term of two to five years, restricted her access to government services, and ordered her property confiscation, as reported by Iran International.
Reports indicate that Shamsabadi has been incarcerated in Bandar Abbas Prison since March, where she reportedly endured 20 days in solitary confinement. It’s noted that security forces arrested her in April.
“The Islamic Republic’s machinery of execution and repression is targeting the life of yet another young woman,” a statement from the Press Office of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince of Iran, expressed.
Concerns are mounting among human rights organizations regarding the high rate of executions in Iran. The Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) reports that at least 29 individuals were executed in relation to protests that occurred in January. The precise count of those killed during the protests remains unclear, with estimates suggesting numbers could range significantly—from an Iranian official’s count of more than 3,000 to potentially tens of thousands.
“I am alarmed by the rise in executions and death sentences issued in Iran since March, and that capital punishment continues to be used to instill fear among the population and suppress dissent,” stated United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Türk earlier in August.
The Abdorrahman Boroumand Center has recorded at least 980 executions in Iran since the beginning of 2026. In contrast, IHR has reported at least 532 executions, though unverified reports suggest there could be over 500 additional cases.
In August alone, the IHR documented at least 82 executions, noting that only 10% to 12% were officially reported, while the rest were confirmed through independent sources.
