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In excess of twenty Olympic medallists, trainers and other international athletes have put their names to a letter urging a halt to the capital punishment of a boxing titleholder and trainer, who is facing execution in the country.

Growing International Outrage

Amid growing global condemnation over Iran’s escalating use of the death penalty as a instrument of suppression, the forcefully phrased appeal condemns the Iranian regime's ruling to uphold the capital punishment of the athlete.

Vafaei Sani, 30, from Mashhad in the northeastern region, was arrested for taking part in nationwide protests in the year 2019 and charged of supporting an dissident organization. He has endured 60 months in detention, where he has been abused and confined in solitary confinement.

“Athletics is meant to promote optimism, togetherness, and fortitude,” the signatories stated. “The death penalty of a champion for his political views is a blatant attack on these ideals and a warning to every athlete who attempts to speak out.

Record of Executing Athletes

The letter noted that the athlete's circumstances was not unique and underscored the country's history of putting to death sports champions for their convictions, including a national team leader, leader of the national football team, and Fourouzan Abdi, skipper of the women's volleyball squad. In the year 2020, Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old national sports titleholder, was put to death.

Other supporters to the statement consist of a sailing champion, who skippered the first women's squad in a international sailing event and was the initial female to earn a esteemed nautical honor; the previous skipper of the Australian football team Craig Foster; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the Iranian squad for the 1978 World Cup.

Apprehension and Unjust Proceedings

The athlete was taken into custody in March 2020. The accusations against him comprised “spreading corruption on Earth through arson and destruction of government belongings”. His ruling has been reversed on two occasions but on 4 October it was maintained on the third occasion. His legal proceedings was denounced as “highly unjust” by rights defenders and organizations.

Call to UN

The urging to halt the athlete's capital punishment follows a previous letter to the United Nations official for human rights, endorsed by in excess of one hundred human rights experts and groups, urging intervention to stop the athlete’s execution.

Capital Punishment Escalation

Based on reports, there is an “death penalty surge in the nation, which has attained horrific dimensions”. In the year 2023, the government executed at least eight hundred fifty-three people – a 48% surge on 2022. In the prior period, data showed 972 deaths, constituting the peak figure since two thousand fifteen. Over hundreds of people have been executed so far in 2025.

Activists and dissidents are focus, particularly in the aftermath of the 2022's protests. Experts say the Iranian authorities have utilized the executions to quell dissent, create fear among the citizenry and reinforce their control on power.