Additional Name(s): سینا دهقان
Gender: Male
Current Location: Arak Prison
Perpetrator: Iran
Religion or Belief: Unspecified
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: Death
Date of Detainment: October/21/2015
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Blasphemy (General) Blasphemy (Religious Figures) Online Activity
Nature of Charges: Blasphemy Insulting Public Officials & Institutions
Sina Dehghan is imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy.
On October 21, 2015, authorities arrested Dehghan, who was 19-year-old at the time, after he reportedly used the messenger app “Line” to share content authorities considered “offensive to Islam.” The Center for Human Rights in Iran says he was charged with “insulting the Prophet Mohamed” and “insulting the supreme leader" while United For Iran lists the charges as "insulting Islamic sanctities" (Art. 513 IPC) and “insulting the Supreme Leader” (Art. 514 IPC).
Dehghan did not received adequate legal representation during the legal process. According to the Center for Human Rights in Iran, Dehghan was promised to be pardoned during his interrogation if he signed a confession. However, authorities instead used that confession as evidence against him.
In early 2017, the Supreme Court confirmed a death sentenced given to Dehghan by a lower court the previous year.
In April 2018, Dehghan’s new lawyer requested a retrial, but the results of that request are unclear.
Dehghan is believed to be serving his sentence in Arak Prison.
“Sina Dehghan” United for Iran
“Sina Dehghan” U.S. Virtual Embassy Iran
“Death Sentence for Expression of Opinion in Iran; Demand for a Retrial” Iran Human Rights
“Young Man Facing Death for Insulting Islam Online Tricked into Signing Confession” Center for Human Rights in Iran