Italian MP urges European pressure to save Najmeh Amini

Alessia Ambrosi, a Brothers of Italy member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, in a video message released by Prince Reza Pahlavi's media office on Wednesday 21 October 2026, referred to the case of Najmeh Amini, a 23-year-old student sentenced to death for social media posts, and urged Europe to take practical action against her death sentence and the Islamic Republic's execution machine.

In the message, Ms Ambrosi said the Iranian people's struggle is a struggle for dignity, freedom and the right to self-determination, and that the people of Iran must not be equated with the repressive Islamic Republic. She stressed that Europe must go beyond ceremonial statements and use diplomatic action and strong international pressure against the executions. The Italian MP also said that freedom is not a concession granted by a government to the people, but a fundamental right of every human being.

The case of Najmeh Amini

Najmeh Amini, an accounting student, is imprisoned in Mashhad. According to Iran Human Rights, Branch 6 of the Criminal Court One of Razavi Khorasan province sentenced her to death on the charge of "insulting the Prophet" over social media posts; a sentence which, according to the organisation, was issued on 16 September and is not yet final and can be appealed at the Supreme Court. The content of the posts has never been made public.

Najmeh Amini had earlier been arrested by security forces in January, during the January uprising, and was arrested again in the Iranian month of Bahman (late January–February) by the FATA cyber police after her online activity was monitored. In a separate case she was sentenced to 12 years, six months and one day in prison on charges of "acting against national security" and "propaganda against the system". In an audio message released last month she asked human rights organisations to look into her case. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of Iran Human Rights, has called for the sentence to be overturned.

Wave of executions and European reactions

The Italian MP's message comes as the Islamic Republic has accelerated executions of prisoners in the months since the January uprising. Iran Human Rights reported this week the transfer of more than 200 prisoners from Ghezel Hesar prison for execution, and the Supreme Court again upheld the death sentence of Manouchehr Fallah, a political prisoner in Lakan prison in Rasht. In recent weeks Prince Reza Pahlavi's office has relayed messages from European politicians in defence of political prisoners at risk of execution.

Alessia Ambrosi urged Europe to stop the execution of Najmeh Amini and other prisoners through diplomatic pressure instead of ceremonial statements.