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More than two dozen Olympic champions, coaches and additional world-class competitors have endorsed a letter urging a halt to the death penalty of a champion boxer and instructor, who is on death row in Iran.

Growing Worldwide Condemnation

Amid rising global condemnation over the country's expanding employment of capital punishment as a tool of repression, the powerfully expressed letter denounces the Iranian regime's decision to confirm the execution order of the boxing champion.

Vafaei Sani, 30, from Mashhad in the northeastern region, was detained for participating in national uprisings in the year 2019 and accused of backing an opposition group. He has spent half a decade in prison, where he has been abused and held in solitary confinement.

“Competition is intended to encourage hope, solidarity, and courage,” the endorsers expressed. “The capital punishment of a titleholder for his political views is a direct assault on these principles and a caution to all sportspeople who attempts to express dissent.

Record of Putting to Death Sports Figures

The letter pointed out that the boxer's situation was not unique and underscored Iran’s past of sentencing to death competitors for their beliefs, such as a football captain, skipper of the soccer squad, and a volleyball captain, captain of the women's volleyball squad. In 2020, Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old Iranian competitor, faced the death penalty.

Additional endorsers to the appeal consist of a sailing champion, who captained the inaugural women's squad in a global yacht race and was the first woman to earn a prestigious nautical honor; the ex- captain of the soccer side an athlete; and a footballer, who was in the Iranian squad for the global tournament.

Arrest and Unfair Trial

Vafaei Sani was taken into custody in early 2020. The charges against him included “causing deterioration on Earth through fire-setting and ruin of state assets”. His ruling has been reversed on two occasions but on October 4 it was confirmed on the third attempt. His trial was criticized as “grossly unfair” by human rights activists and organizations.

Call to International Body

The call to stop the boxer's capital punishment follows a previous appeal to the United Nations official for rights, backed by over 100 human rights experts and organizations, demanding action to avert the sports figure's death.

Capital Punishment Escalation

As per reports, there is an “execution crisis in Iran, which has attained alarming dimensions”. In 2023, officials sentenced at least over 850 people – a nearly half rise on 2022. In the prior period, statistics showed nine hundred seventy-two deaths, representing the highest number since two thousand fifteen. Over hundreds of people have been executed so far in the current year.

Dissidents and dissidents are victims, particularly in the aftermath of the 2022 demonstrations. Analysts say the regime have utilized the executions to quell dissent, generate anxiety among the citizenry and strengthen their control on rule.