🔗 Share this article Elite Athletes Appeal on Iranian Authorities to Halt Execution of Champion Boxer More than two dozen Olympic champions, coaches and further global sports figures have signed a appeal calling for a stop to the capital punishment of a boxing titleholder and coach, who is on death row in the country. Growing Worldwide Condemnation During growing international outrage over the country's escalating use of the death penalty as a instrument of oppression, the powerfully expressed letter condemns the Iranian regime's ruling to confirm the execution order of the boxing champion. Vafaei Sani, thirty, from Mashhad in north-east Iran, was detained for taking part in national uprisings in two thousand nineteen and indicted of supporting an dissident organization. He has spent five years in detention, where he has been tortured and kept in seclusion. “Competition is intended to inspire faith, solidarity, and bravery,” the supporters wrote. “The capital punishment of a titleholder for his beliefs is a clear violation on these principles and a caution to any competitor who dares to express dissent. Record of Putting to Death Athletes The statement noted that Vafaei Sani’s case was part of a pattern and highlighted Iran’s history of sentencing to death athletes for their convictions, for example a football captain, leader of the football side, and a volleyball captain, captain of the female volleyball side. In the year 2020, Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old national wrestling champion, was put to death. Additional signatories to the appeal comprise a yachting pioneer, who captained the inaugural women's squad in a round-the-world competition and was the initial female to earn a esteemed yachting trophy; the previous skipper of the Australian football team an athlete; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the country's selection for the global tournament. Apprehension and Unfair Trial The athlete was detained in early 2020. The accusations against him comprised “promoting decay on Earth through fire-setting and destruction of state assets”. His verdict has been overturned twice but on the fourth of October it was confirmed on the third attempt. His trial was criticized as “grossly unfair” by advocates and organizations. Call to United Nations The urging to stop Vafaei Sani’s death sentence follows a earlier letter to the UN high commissioner for human rights, signed by more than one hundred advocates and organizations, urging intervention to stop the sports figure's capital punishment. Death Penalty Surge Based on findings, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the country, which has reached alarming levels”. In the year 2023, authorities put to death at least eight hundred fifty-three people – a 48% surge on the previous year. In the prior period, records showed 972 executions, representing the peak figure since the year 2015. More than 800 people have been sentenced so far in the current year. Dissidents and opponents are focus, especially in the aftermath of the 2022 uprising. Specialists say the Iranian authorities have employed the executions to quell protest, generate apprehension among the citizenry and tighten their hold on authority.