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More than 20 Olympic champions, trainers and additional world-class competitors have signed a appeal calling for a stop to the death penalty of a boxing champion and trainer, who is sentenced to die in the nation.

Increasing Worldwide Condemnation

Amidst growing worldwide anger over Iran’s escalating use of executions as a means of suppression, the powerfully expressed letter condemns the Iranian regime's verdict to confirm the execution order of the boxing champion.

Vafaei Sani, 30, from Mashhad in the northeastern region, was arrested for participating in countrywide demonstrations in two thousand nineteen and accused of supporting an dissident organization. He has endured half a decade in prison, where he has been mistreated and held in solitary confinement.

“Competition is meant to promote hope, togetherness, and courage,” the endorsers wrote. “The capital punishment of a titleholder for his beliefs is a blatant attack on these values and a warning to all sportspeople who ventures to express dissent.

Record of Killing Athletes

The statement pointed out that the athlete's case was not an isolated one and emphasized the nation's past of executing sports champions for their convictions, such as a football captain, captain of the football side, and a women's sports leader, leader of the women's volleyball squad. In 2020, Navid Afkari, a young national sports titleholder, was put to death.

Other supporters to the letter comprise Tracy Edwards, who skippered the pioneering female-only team in a round-the-world competition and was the first woman to be awarded a esteemed yachting trophy; the ex- skipper of the soccer side a sports advocate; and a footballer, who was in the national team for the 1978 World Cup.

Arrest and Flawed Legal Process

Vafaei Sani was detained in March 2020. The allegations against him comprised “causing deterioration on Earth through fire-setting and ruin of government belongings”. His verdict has been overturned on two occasions but on 4 October it was confirmed on the latest review. His legal proceedings was criticized as “deeply biased” by rights defenders and bodies.

Urging to UN

The call to prevent the athlete's death sentence is subsequent to a 2023 statement to the UN high commissioner for human rights, backed by in excess of one hundred human rights experts and entities, urging action to avert the sports figure's execution.

Death Penalty Surge

Based on findings, there is an “execution crisis in the nation, which has attained horrific levels”. In two thousand twenty-three, authorities put to death at least over 850 people – a 48% surge on the previous year. In the prior period, records showed nine hundred seventy-two capital punishments, representing the maximum count since 2015. Over eight hundred people have been executed so far in the current year.

Activists and dissidents are targets, especially in the aftermath of the 2022's uprising. Experts say the government have utilized the death penalty to quell dissent, create anxiety among the population and reinforce their control on rule.