🔗 Share this article

More than two dozen Olympic medallists, coaches and additional world-class competitors have put their names to a letter demanding a stop to the death penalty of a boxing titleholder and coach, who is facing execution in Iran.

Increasing Worldwide Condemnation

Amid increasing international outrage over the nation's increasing application of the death penalty as a means of oppression, the strongly worded letter condemns the authorities's verdict to uphold the capital punishment of the athlete.

The boxer, three decades old, from the city in the northern province, was arrested for being involved in nationwide protests in two thousand nineteen and charged of supporting an opposition group. He has passed five years in prison, where he has been mistreated and confined in solitary confinement.

“Sport is designed to encourage faith, unity, and fortitude,” the supporters expressed. “The capital punishment of a winner for his beliefs is a blatant attack on these ideals and a warning to every athlete who dares to express dissent.

History of Putting to Death Athletes

The statement pointed out that the boxer's case was part of a pattern and highlighted the nation's past of executing competitors for their convictions, including Habib Khabiri, leader of the national football team, and a women's sports leader, skipper of the national women’s volleyball team. In 2020, Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old national wrestling champion, was also executed.

Additional signatories to the letter consist of Tracy Edwards, who captained the inaugural female-only team in a international sailing event and was the initial female to earn a esteemed sailing award; the former skipper of the soccer side an athlete; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the national team for the global tournament.

Apprehension and Unjust Proceedings

The athlete was detained in March 2020. The charges against him included “spreading corruption on Earth through incendiarism and damage of public property”. His ruling has been annulled multiple times but on the fourth of October it was maintained on the latest review. His court case was condemned as “highly unjust” by advocates and groups.

Urging to United Nations

The call to halt Vafaei Sani’s execution is subsequent to a 2023 letter to the UN high commissioner for human rights, signed by more than 100 advocates and entities, calling for measures to stop the athlete’s capital punishment.

Capital Punishment Escalation

Based on reports, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the country, which has attained shocking dimensions”. In 2023, authorities executed at least over 850 people – a nearly half increase on 2022. The year before, data showed nine hundred seventy-two capital punishments, marking the highest number since the year 2015. Over hundreds of people have been sentenced so far in the current year.

Activists and dissidents are focus, especially in the aftermath of the 2022 demonstrations. Specialists say the government have used the death penalty to quell protest, generate anxiety among the citizenry and strengthen their control on authority.