🔗 Share this article Elite Athletes Appeal on Iranian Authorities to Prevent Death Sentence of Boxing Star More than twenty Olympic medallists, coaches and further international athletes have endorsed a statement demanding a end to the execution of a boxing titleholder and coach, who is sentenced to die in the country. Increasing Worldwide Condemnation During increasing worldwide anger over the nation's expanding employment of executions as a instrument of oppression, the strongly worded appeal condemns the Iranian regime's verdict to maintain the capital punishment of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani. The boxer, thirty, from the city in the northeastern region, was detained for taking part in nationwide protests in 2019 and charged of supporting an opposition group. He has passed 60 months in incarceration, where he has been tortured and kept in solitary confinement. “Competition is designed to inspire hope, solidarity, and courage,” the endorsers stated. “The death penalty of a champion for his beliefs is a clear violation on these values and a warning to every athlete who attempts to speak out. Pattern of Putting to Death Sports Figures The appeal said that the boxer's circumstances was not unique and underscored Iran’s record of sentencing to death competitors for their views, for example a national team leader, leader of the national football team, and a women's sports leader, leader of the women's volleyball squad. In the year 2020, a wrestling champion, a 27-year Iranian wrestling champion, was also executed. Additional signatories to the letter include a sailing champion, who skippered the inaugural female-only team in a global yacht race and was the pioneering lady to receive a renowned yachting trophy; the former captain of the soccer side an athlete; and a sports figure, who was in the Iranian squad for the 1978 World Cup. Detention and Unfair Trial Vafaei Sani was detained in the spring of 2020. The allegations against him comprised “spreading corruption on Earth through incendiarism and damage of public property”. His sentence has been reversed twice but on the fourth of October it was maintained on the third occasion. His trial was condemned as “grossly unfair” by advocates and organizations. Call to UN The appeal to prevent Vafaei Sani’s death sentence comes after a previous appeal to the United Nations official for human rights, signed by more than one hundred human rights experts and entities, calling for action to avert the sports figure's execution. Death Penalty Surge According to reports, there is an “death penalty surge in Iran, which has attained alarming levels”. In the year 2023, the government put to death at least eight hundred fifty-three people – a 48% surge on 2022. Last year, statistics showed nine hundred seventy-two capital punishments, marking the maximum count since two thousand fifteen. Over 800 people have been sentenced so far in 2025. Activists and dissidents are focus, especially in the aftermath of the 2022's protests. Specialists say the government have used the capital punishment to quell dissent, generate anxiety among the public and reinforce their grip on authority.