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In excess of two dozen Olympic medallists, coaches and further global sports figures have endorsed a letter urging a stop to the execution of a boxing champion and coach, who is sentenced to die in the country.

Growing Worldwide Condemnation

Amidst growing worldwide anger over the nation's increasing application of executions as a means of repression, the strongly worded statement condemns the government's ruling to maintain the death sentence of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani.

Vafaei Sani, thirty, from Mashhad in the northeastern region, was detained for participating in national uprisings in the year 2019 and indicted of backing an dissident organization. He has passed five years in incarceration, where he has been mistreated and held in solitary confinement.

“Athletics is designed to promote optimism, togetherness, and fortitude,” the signatories wrote. “The death penalty of a champion for his political views is a blatant attack on these values and a warning to all sportspeople who dares to express dissent.

History of Executing Sports Figures

The letter said that the athlete's circumstances was part of a pattern and emphasized Iran’s history of putting to death competitors for their beliefs, for example a football captain, captain of the national football team, and a volleyball captain, captain of the female volleyball side. In 2020, an athlete, a 27-year national wrestling champion, was put to death.

Further signatories to the statement comprise Tracy Edwards, who skippered the first all-female crew in a global yacht race and was the pioneering lady to earn a esteemed nautical honor; the former captain of the Australian football team an athlete; and a footballer, who was in the Iranian squad for the international competition.

Apprehension and Unfair Trial

Vafaei Sani was taken into custody in March 2020. The charges against him comprised “promoting decay on Earth through arson and ruin of government belongings”. His verdict has been reversed multiple times but on October 4 it was upheld on the latest review. His trial was criticized as “grossly unfair” by human rights activists and organizations.

Appeal to UN

The call to prevent the boxer's capital punishment is subsequent to a previous letter to the global human rights chief for human rights, signed by in excess of a hundred rights specialists and groups, urging measures to stop the competitor's death.

Death Penalty Surge

As per reports, there is an “capital punishment escalation in Iran, which has reached horrific proportions”. In two thousand twenty-three, officials executed at least over 850 people – a nearly half rise on the previous year. In the prior period, records showed 972 capital punishments, representing the highest number since two thousand fifteen. In excess of 800 people have been put to death so far in the current year.

Dissidents and opponents are victims, particularly in the wake of the 2022's demonstrations. Specialists say the regime have used the capital punishment to suppress protest, create anxiety among the citizenry and strengthen their control on rule.