The young Instagram profile, who on social media called herself Sahar Tabar, achieved an incipient fame on social media by posting digitally manipulated photos of herself that gave her a zombie-like appearance.

At most, she had close to half a million followers.

Accused of blasphemy

But the terrifying theme was not well received by the Iranian regime.

A year ago, she was arrested and accused of, among other things, blasphemy, for making money through inappropriate activities and for morally corrupting young people.

Now her lawyer states that she has been sentenced to ten years in prison, reports The Guardian.

In the autumn, Iranian state television broadcast a likely forced confession from Khishvand in which she expressed remorse for her actions.

In the feature, she was described as "a victim with an abnormal personality and mental health condition" who sought "vulgarity" on social media.

Psychiatric problems

Hospital records indicate that during her upbringing she had problems with mental health and visited psychiatric clinics several times.

A fact that makes her prison sentence even more startling.

Over the past year, her lawyers have tried to get the nineteen-year-old released on bail, among other things by pointing to the girl's young age when the pictures were posted (2017), but without hearing.

Khishvand appealed in the spring herself to be released when she showed symptoms of covid-19, writes The Guardian.

The nineteen-year-old is the latest in a long line of Iranian influencers who have been severely punished for their presence on social media.

Among other things, several young Iranians have been arrested after publishing videos of them dancing, according to the BBC.