🔗 Share this article Elite Athletes Appeal on Iran to Stop Death Sentence of Champion Boxer More than twenty Olympic medal winners, trainers and other international athletes have put their names to a appeal demanding a stop to the capital punishment of a boxing champion and coach, who is sentenced to die in the nation. Increasing Worldwide Condemnation Amidst increasing worldwide anger over the country's escalating use of capital punishment as a tool of repression, the strongly worded appeal censures the authorities's verdict to confirm the execution order of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani. The boxer, three decades old, from the city in north-east Iran, was taken into custody for participating in nationwide protests in 2019 and accused of aiding an dissident organization. He has spent five years in incarceration, where he has been abused and kept in solitary confinement. “Sport is meant to inspire optimism, togetherness, and courage,” the supporters stated. “The death penalty of a champion for his opinions is a clear violation on these ideals and a admonition to every athlete who attempts to express dissent. History of Killing Competitors The statement said that the athlete's circumstances was not an isolated one and emphasized Iran’s history of executing sports champions for their views, including a national team leader, captain of the soccer squad, and Fourouzan Abdi, captain of the women's volleyball squad. In 2020, Navid Afkari, a young Iranian competitor, faced the death penalty. Additional supporters to the statement comprise a yachting pioneer, who led the first all-female crew in a round-the-world competition and was the first woman to receive a renowned nautical honor; the previous skipper of the soccer side a sports advocate; and a sports figure, who was in the country's selection for the global tournament. Apprehension and Flawed Legal Process The athlete was arrested in early 2020. The accusations against him comprised “promoting decay on Earth through fire-setting and damage of government belongings”. His ruling has been overturned on two occasions but on October 4 it was maintained on the latest review. His trial was condemned as “deeply biased” by rights defenders and organizations. Appeal to UN The appeal to stop the athlete's execution is subsequent to a earlier statement to the UN high commissioner for human rights, signed by in excess of one hundred rights specialists and organizations, calling for measures to stop the sports figure's capital punishment. Capital Punishment Escalation According to data, there is an “death penalty surge in the nation, which has achieved alarming dimensions”. In 2023, officials sentenced at least over 850 people – a nearly half surge on 2022. Last year, statistics showed nearly a thousand capital punishments, representing the peak figure since the year 2015. In excess of 800 people have been put to death so far in the current year. Activists and dissidents are targets, especially in the aftermath of the 2022 demonstrations. Specialists say the regime have employed the executions to suppress opposition, instil apprehension among the population and tighten their grip on rule.