Iranian influencer Marzieh “Sevda” Ebrahimi Shamsabadi has reportedly been sentenced to death after being convicted by a revolutionary court in Bandar Abbas.
Ebrahimi Shamsabadi, a 33-year-old blogger, is being held at Bandar Abbas Prison following her arrest earlier this year. Iran International reported that Branch 3 of the Bandar Abbas Revolutionary Court issued the sentence.
Her case has drawn attention partly because of a final Instagram post she reportedly published before her arrest. In the post, she wrote: “If one day I leave this world, just know one thing – I chose the path I believed in.”
The message has since been viewed as a sign that she knew she could face serious consequences for her activities and opposition to Iranian authorities.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, known as HRANA, the death sentence was issued under the charge of “corruption on earth.” The case reportedly includes allegations that Ebrahimi Shamsabadi insulted Iran’s Supreme Leader and carried out media and propaganda activities against national security.
She was also accused of working in intelligence and security activities on behalf of what Iranian authorities described as “hostile governments.”
Another allegation reportedly involved a photograph she took from a distance of a location that had been hit by a missile. Authorities claimed that she sent the image to a Persian-language media organisation based outside Iran.
The reported charges cover both her online activities and alleged contact with organisations outside the country. Details about the evidence presented in court have not been fully made public in the reports available.
The death sentence is not the only punishment reported in the case. Ebrahimi Shamsabadi is also believed to have received additional prison terms ranging from two to five years. The court reportedly ordered the confiscation of her property and imposed restrictions on her access to some government and public services.
Her lawyer was reportedly informed of the death sentence on August 23. Iran International reported that the judgment was issued by Judge Khajeh-Hassani.
The case remains based largely on reports from Iranian and human rights sources, and further information about the court proceedings and any appeal has not been provided in the material available.
