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Over two dozen Olympic medal winners, coaches and further international athletes have put their names to a letter urging a halt to the death penalty of a boxing titleholder and instructor, who is facing execution in Iran.

Growing Global Anger

Amid increasing international outrage over the country's escalating use of executions as a means of suppression, the forcefully phrased appeal condemns the government's verdict to confirm the death sentence of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani.

Vafaei Sani, thirty, from Mashhad in the northern province, was arrested for taking part in countrywide demonstrations in the year 2019 and indicted of aiding an dissident organization. He has endured 60 months in prison, where he has been abused and kept in seclusion.

“Competition is meant to encourage optimism, togetherness, and fortitude,” the endorsers stated. “The capital punishment of a titleholder for his opinions is a direct assault on these values and a caution to any competitor who dares to speak out.

History of Killing Athletes

The letter said that the boxer's situation was not an isolated one and highlighted the country's past of putting to death athletes for their convictions, including Habib Khabiri, skipper of the football side, and a women's sports leader, captain of the women's volleyball squad. In 2020, Navid Afkari, a young Iranian competitor, was put to death.

Other endorsers to the statement consist of a sailing champion, who skippered the inaugural women's squad in a global yacht race and was the first woman to earn a renowned yachting trophy; the former leader of the Australian football team a sports advocate; and a sports figure, who was in the country's selection for the global tournament.

Detention and Unfair Trial

The boxer was detained in early 2020. The accusations against him entailed “spreading corruption on Earth through fire-setting and ruin of public property”. His verdict has been overturned twice but on October 4 it was confirmed on the latest review. His legal proceedings was denounced as “grossly unfair” by rights defenders and bodies.

Appeal to International Body

The appeal to prevent the athlete's capital punishment is subsequent to a earlier appeal to the United Nations official for freedoms, endorsed by over one hundred human rights experts and organizations, calling for intervention to prevent the athlete’s death.

Death Penalty Surge

As per findings, there is an “death penalty surge in Iran, which has achieved horrific levels”. In two thousand twenty-three, the government put to death at least over 850 people – a 48% increase on the previous year. In the prior period, records showed nine hundred seventy-two capital punishments, constituting the maximum count since the year 2015. More than 800 people have been executed so far in the current year.

Political prisoners and dissidents are targets, particularly in the aftermath of the the year 2022 demonstrations. Specialists say the government have used the death penalty to suppress dissent, create anxiety among the citizenry and strengthen their grip on authority.