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Over twenty Olympic medallists, coaches and additional world-class competitors have endorsed a statement calling for a halt to the death penalty of a boxing titleholder and coach, who is on death row in the country.

Escalating Global Anger

Amidst rising worldwide anger over the country's increasing application of executions as a means of repression, the forcefully phrased letter condemns the government's decision to maintain the capital punishment of the boxing champion.

The boxer, three decades old, from the city in the northeastern region, was taken into custody for being involved in national uprisings in 2019 and charged of supporting an resistance movement. He has passed five years in prison, where he has been tortured and kept in seclusion.

“Sport is meant to promote faith, unity, and fortitude,” the supporters expressed. “The death penalty of a titleholder for his political views is a clear violation on these ideals and a admonition to all sportspeople who attempts to express dissent.

History of Executing Athletes

The statement pointed out that the boxer's situation was not an isolated one and underscored Iran’s history of sentencing to death athletes for their beliefs, including a football captain, skipper of the soccer squad, and Fourouzan Abdi, captain of the women's volleyball squad. In two thousand twenty, Navid Afkari, a 27-year national sports titleholder, was put to death.

Additional signatories to the appeal include a yachting pioneer, who led the inaugural women's squad in a international sailing event and was the initial female to earn a esteemed sailing award; the ex- skipper of the soccer side an athlete; and a footballer, who was in the Iranian squad for the 1978 World Cup.

Apprehension and Unjust Proceedings

The boxer was arrested in early 2020. The charges against him included “spreading corruption on Earth through fire-setting and damage of government belongings”. His ruling has been reversed multiple times but on the fourth of October it was upheld on the latest review. His trial was condemned as “deeply biased” by advocates and organizations.

Call to International Body

The urging to prevent the athlete's capital punishment follows a previous letter to the global human rights chief for freedoms, endorsed by over one hundred human rights experts and groups, urging measures to avert the sports figure's capital punishment.

Capital Punishment Escalation

According to reports, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the country, which has attained shocking proportions”. In two thousand twenty-three, authorities executed at least 853 people – a nearly half surge on 2022. The year before, statistics showed 972 deaths, representing the maximum count since the year 2015. Over eight hundred people have been executed so far in the current year.

Dissidents and protesters are focus, especially in the aftermath of the the year 2022 uprising. Experts say the government have utilized the capital punishment to quell opposition, instil fear among the public and strengthen their control on authority.