🔗 Share this article Olympians Appeal on Iran to Prevent Death Sentence of Boxing Star Over two dozen Olympic champions, mentors and other global sports figures have signed a letter demanding a stop to the execution of a champion boxer and coach, who is facing execution in Iran. Increasing Global Anger Amid increasing global condemnation over Iran’s expanding employment of capital punishment as a means of suppression, the powerfully expressed statement condemns the government's decision to uphold the death sentence of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani. Vafaei Sani, three decades old, from the city in north-east Iran, was arrested for taking part in national uprisings in the year 2019 and indicted of supporting an dissident organization. He has endured five years in prison, where he has been mistreated and confined in seclusion. “Athletics is designed to promote hope, togetherness, and bravery,” the supporters expressed. “The capital punishment of a titleholder for his opinions is a clear violation on these principles and a admonition to any competitor who dares to voice opinions. Pattern of Executing Athletes The letter pointed out that Vafaei Sani’s circumstances was not an isolated one and emphasized Iran’s history of putting to death competitors for their convictions, including a national team leader, captain of the football side, and Fourouzan Abdi, skipper of the women's volleyball squad. In two thousand twenty, an athlete, a 27-year-old national sports titleholder, was put to death. Additional endorsers to the appeal consist of a sailing champion, who captained the inaugural all-female crew in a round-the-world competition and was the initial female to be awarded a esteemed sailing award; the ex- captain of the soccer side an athlete; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the national team for the 1978 World Cup. Detention and Flawed Legal Process The boxer was arrested in the spring of 2020. The accusations against him entailed “causing deterioration on Earth through incendiarism and ruin of government belongings”. His verdict has been overturned on two occasions but on 4 October it was upheld on the third occasion. His court case was criticized as “highly unjust” by rights defenders and bodies. Call to UN The call to prevent Vafaei Sani’s death sentence comes after a 2023 letter to the global human rights chief for rights, signed by more than 100 rights specialists and entities, urging measures to avert the competitor's execution. Execution Crisis As per reports, there is an “death penalty surge in Iran, which has attained shocking levels”. In the year 2023, the government put to death at least over 850 people – a forty-eight percent surge on the previous year. In the prior period, statistics showed nine hundred seventy-two executions, constituting the peak figure since two thousand fifteen. Over eight hundred people have been put to death so far in the current year. Dissidents and dissidents are targets, particularly in the aftermath of the 2022's protests. Experts say the Iranian authorities have used the executions to quell protest, create fear among the public and reinforce their grip on rule.