The execution of an Iranian woman who was due to be hung for the murder of a man who allegedly attempted to rape her has been postponed for ten days.

Reyhaneh Jabbari was arrested in 2007 for the killing of Morteza Abdolali Sarbandi, a former employee of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence who she said tried to sexually abuse her.

She was sentenced to death by a Tehran court in 2009 and her execution verdict was upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court. Her case drew international outcry and sparked a petition urging her release, which has garnered over 190,000 signatures.

The 26-year-old was due to be executed today but Amnesty International told The Independent sources have informed them that Ms Jabbari has been granted a last minute stay of execution.

It is not yet known why her execution has been postponed.

A spokesperson for Amnesty said:"We're obviously extremely relieved that Reyhaneh is out of immediate danger, but we're calling on the Iranian authorities to confirm that she won't be hanged in a week and a half's time and that instead there will be a full review of the deeply-flawed original investigation into her case."

Ten places where most executions were carried out in 2013 Show all 10 1 /10 Ten places where most executions were carried out in 2013 Ten places where most executions were carried out in 2013 1. China Amnesty International does not have an official figure on executions in China during 2013, but believes the figure to be in the thousands Ten places where most executions were carried out in 2013 2. Iran Iran carried out 369 public executions Ten places where most executions were carried out in 2013 3. Iraq Iraq committed 169 public executions in 2013 Ten places where most executions were carried out in 2013 4. Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia carried out 79 executions in 2013 Ten places where most executions were carried out in 2013 5. USA Thirty-nine people were executed in the US in 2013 Ten places where most executions were carried out in 2013 6. Somalia In Somalia, 34 people were publicly executed last year Ten places where most executions were carried out in 2013 7. Sudan Twenty-one people were executed in Sudan Ten places where most executions were carried out in 2013 8. Yemen Thirteen people were executed in Yemen in 2013 Ten places where most executions were carried out in 2013 9. Japan Eight people were executed in Japan, according to the report Ten places where most executions were carried out in 2013 10. Vietnam Vietnam does not release public figures on executions but Amnesty estimate the number to be a minimum of 7

Ms Jabbari’s mother Shole Paravan published a Facebook post on Monday saying authorities in Iran’s notorious Evin prison told her she would have to go to the facility to “collect the body” tomorrow.