Reyhaneh Jabbari was a 19-year-old interior decorator in Iran. She was described as independent, ambitious, and daring, with aspirations of becoming a renowned decorator. ​

In 2007, Jabbari met Morteza Abdolali Sarbandi, a former agent of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence, at a café. Sarbandi engaged Jabbari to redesign his office and later took her to a residence where she alleged he attempted to sexually assault her. In self-defense, Jabbari stabbed Sarbandi once with a pocket knife and fled the scene. Sarbandi later died from his injuries. ​

Following her arrest, Jabbari was held in solitary confinement for two months without access to legal representation or her family. In 2009, she was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Amnesty International and other human rights organizations criticized the trial, citing concerns over coerced confessions and lack of proper investigation into her claims of self-defense. ​

Despite international appeals for clemency, Jabbari was executed by hanging on October 25, 2014, at Gohardasht Prison in Karaj, Iran. Her case drew significant global attention and sparked debates about human rights and the application of the death penalty in Iran. ​