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Over 20 Olympic medallists, mentors and further world-class competitors have signed a letter calling for a stop to the death penalty of a boxing titleholder and trainer, who is sentenced to die in the country.

Increasing International Outrage

During increasing global condemnation over the nation's escalating use of the death penalty as a means of repression, the forcefully phrased appeal condemns the government's ruling to confirm the capital punishment of the boxing champion.

The boxer, 30, from Mashhad in north-east Iran, was arrested for participating in national uprisings in the year 2019 and charged of backing an resistance movement. He has endured five years in prison, where he has been tortured and held in seclusion.

“Athletics is designed to encourage faith, unity, and courage,” the supporters wrote. “The capital punishment of a champion for his beliefs is a direct assault on these principles and a warning to all sportspeople who ventures to speak out.

Record of Executing Competitors

The appeal noted that the boxer's situation was not an isolated one and underscored the nation's record of putting to death athletes for their beliefs, for example a football captain, captain of the soccer squad, and a volleyball captain, leader of the national women’s volleyball team. In two thousand twenty, Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old national sports titleholder, faced the death penalty.

Additional signatories to the statement comprise a sailing champion, who captained the inaugural all-female crew in a international sailing event and was the first woman to receive a prestigious sailing award; the previous captain of the soccer side a sports advocate; and a footballer, who was in the national team for the global tournament.

Apprehension and Flawed Legal Process

Vafaei Sani was arrested in early 2020. The charges against him comprised “promoting decay on Earth through incendiarism and ruin of public property”. His verdict has been reversed multiple times but on the fourth of October it was upheld on the latest review. His legal proceedings was condemned as “highly unjust” by rights defenders and groups.

Call to International Body

The call to stop the boxer's death sentence follows a earlier statement to the global human rights chief for freedoms, endorsed by more than a hundred advocates and groups, demanding intervention to avert the sports figure's capital punishment.

Capital Punishment Escalation

Based on findings, there is an “death penalty surge in the country, which has achieved alarming dimensions”. In 2023, officials sentenced at least 853 people – a forty-eight percent surge on the previous year. Last year, data showed nearly a thousand deaths, marking the peak figure since 2015. Over eight hundred people have been put to death so far in the current year.

Dissidents and protesters are focus, particularly in the aftermath of the 2022 demonstrations. Specialists say the regime have used the capital punishment to suppress dissent, generate fear among the public and strengthen their grip on rule.