🔗 Share this article Elite Athletes Call on Iran to Stop Execution of Boxing Star Over 20 Olympic medal winners, trainers and additional international athletes have endorsed a statement demanding a stop to the execution of a boxing champion and instructor, who is sentenced to die in Iran. Escalating Global Anger Amidst rising global condemnation over the nation's increasing application of capital punishment as a means of suppression, the forcefully phrased appeal denounces the authorities's ruling to uphold the death sentence of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani. The boxer, three decades old, from the city in the northeastern region, was taken into custody for taking part in countrywide demonstrations in the year 2019 and indicted of aiding an dissident organization. He has passed five years in detention, where he has been tortured and kept in solitary confinement. “Competition is intended to inspire optimism, togetherness, and bravery,” the supporters expressed. “The death penalty of a winner for his beliefs is a blatant attack on these ideals and a admonition to all sportspeople who ventures to speak out. Pattern of Executing Competitors The letter noted that the boxer's circumstances was not an isolated one and highlighted the country's history of putting to death sports champions for their convictions, including Habib Khabiri, skipper of the national football team, and Fourouzan Abdi, captain of the female volleyball side. In 2020, an athlete, a 27-year-old Iranian wrestling champion, was put to death. Additional supporters to the letter comprise a sailing champion, who led the pioneering all-female crew in a global yacht race and was the pioneering lady to be awarded a esteemed sailing award; the ex- skipper of the national squad a sports advocate; and a sports figure, who was in the national team for the international competition. Apprehension and Flawed Legal Process The athlete was detained in early 2020. The allegations against him comprised “causing deterioration on Earth through fire-setting and ruin of state assets”. His ruling has been annulled multiple times but on October 4 it was confirmed on the third occasion. His court case was condemned as “deeply biased” by advocates and organizations. Call to UN The call to stop Vafaei Sani’s capital punishment follows a 2023 appeal to the United Nations official for human rights, endorsed by more than a hundred human rights experts and entities, calling for measures to prevent the sports figure's capital punishment. Execution Crisis As per data, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the nation, which has achieved shocking levels”. In the year 2023, the government sentenced at least 853 people – a forty-eight percent increase on 2022. In the prior period, data showed 972 executions, constituting the peak figure since two thousand fifteen. More than hundreds of people have been executed so far in the current year. Dissidents and protesters are targets, especially in the wake of the 2022 uprising. Experts say the regime have utilized the death penalty to stifle protest, create anxiety among the citizenry and reinforce their hold on authority.