🔗 Share this article Sports Champions Urge on Iranian Authorities to Halt Death Sentence of Champion Boxer Over twenty Olympic champions, mentors and further world-class competitors have put their names to a appeal demanding a stop to the death penalty of a boxing titleholder and trainer, who is sentenced to die in Iran. Escalating International Outrage Amidst growing global condemnation over Iran’s escalating use of capital punishment as a means of suppression, the strongly worded letter censures the authorities's verdict to maintain the capital punishment of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani. The athlete, 30, from Mashhad in the northern province, was arrested for participating in nationwide protests in 2019 and accused of backing an resistance movement. He has passed five years in detention, where he has been abused and kept in solitary confinement. “Competition is designed to inspire faith, togetherness, and courage,” the supporters stated. “The death penalty of a winner for his opinions is a clear violation on these principles and a caution to every athlete who dares to voice opinions. Pattern of Putting to Death Sports Figures The appeal noted that the boxer's situation was part of a pattern and emphasized Iran’s record of putting to death athletes for their beliefs, such as a national team leader, skipper of the national football team, and a women's sports leader, leader of the women's volleyball squad. In the year 2020, Navid Afkari, a 27-year national sports titleholder, was also executed. Additional signatories to the appeal include Tracy Edwards, who led the inaugural women's squad in a round-the-world competition and was the first woman to receive a renowned yachting trophy; the previous skipper of the soccer side a sports advocate; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the Iranian squad for the global tournament. Arrest and Unjust Proceedings The boxer was detained in March 2020. The charges against him included “causing deterioration on Earth through arson and destruction of public property”. His sentence has been overturned on two occasions but on 4 October it was maintained on the third occasion. His trial was criticized as “highly unjust” by rights defenders and organizations. Appeal to UN The urging to stop the boxer's capital punishment is subsequent to a previous appeal to the global human rights chief for human rights, backed by more than a hundred advocates and organizations, demanding intervention to stop the sports figure's death. Capital Punishment Escalation According to reports, there is an “death penalty surge in the nation, which has attained horrific proportions”. In the year 2023, authorities executed at least over 850 people – a 48% increase on the previous year. The year before, records showed 972 capital punishments, constituting the highest number since 2015. Over eight hundred people have been sentenced so far in the current year. Activists and dissidents are focus, especially in the wake of the 2022 demonstrations. Analysts say the government have utilized the executions to stifle dissent, generate apprehension among the public and reinforce their hold on authority.