More than two dozen Olympic champions, mentors and other world-class competitors have signed a statement urging a stop to the death penalty of a boxing titleholder and trainer, who is facing execution in the nation.
Amid increasing international outrage over the nation's expanding employment of executions as a instrument of suppression, the forcefully phrased statement censures the authorities's verdict to maintain the capital punishment of the boxing champion.
Vafaei Sani, thirty, from Mashhad in the northern province, was taken into custody for participating in national uprisings in two thousand nineteen and accused of backing an resistance movement. He has endured half a decade in detention, where he has been abused and confined in isolation.
“Athletics is meant to promote faith, togetherness, and courage,” the supporters expressed. “The death penalty of a titleholder for his political views is a clear violation on these principles and a warning to all sportspeople who dares to express dissent.
The appeal pointed out that the athlete's case was not unique and highlighted Iran’s record of putting to death athletes for their convictions, including Habib Khabiri, captain of the soccer squad, and a volleyball captain, skipper of the women's volleyball squad. In two thousand twenty, Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old Iranian wrestling champion, was also executed.
Other supporters to the statement include a sailing champion, who captained the inaugural female-only team in a international sailing event and was the pioneering lady to earn a esteemed nautical honor; the ex- captain of the national squad a sports advocate; and a sports figure, who was in the Iranian squad for the 1978 World Cup.
The athlete was arrested in March 2020. The accusations against him entailed “spreading corruption on Earth through incendiarism and ruin of state assets”. His sentence has been annulled on two occasions but on 4 October it was upheld on the third attempt. His court case was denounced as “grossly unfair” by rights defenders and groups.
The appeal to halt the athlete's death sentence follows a earlier statement to the UN high commissioner for rights, endorsed by in excess of a hundred rights specialists and groups, calling for measures to stop the competitor's death.
As per findings, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the country, which has reached horrific proportions”. In 2023, the government executed at least 853 people – a 48% increase on the previous year. The year before, statistics showed nine hundred seventy-two deaths, representing the highest number since two thousand fifteen. More than hundreds of people have been executed so far in the current year.
Political prisoners and opponents are targets, particularly in the aftermath of the the year 2022 protests. Analysts say the regime have utilized the capital punishment to quell protest, instil fear among the population and reinforce their control on authority.
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