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Over 20 Olympic medal winners, trainers and further world-class competitors have signed a statement urging a halt to the capital punishment of a boxing titleholder and instructor, who is sentenced to die in the nation.

Escalating International Outrage

Amid increasing global condemnation over the country's escalating use of the death penalty as a instrument of repression, the powerfully expressed appeal censures the authorities's decision to uphold the death sentence of the athlete.

Vafaei Sani, 30, from Mashhad in the northeastern region, was detained for participating in national uprisings in 2019 and charged of backing an dissident organization. He has endured five years in incarceration, where he has been mistreated and held in isolation.

“Sport is intended to promote faith, solidarity, and fortitude,” the supporters expressed. “The capital punishment of a titleholder for his opinions is a clear violation on these principles and a admonition to every athlete who attempts to express dissent.

Pattern of Putting to Death Sports Figures

The statement pointed out that Vafaei Sani’s situation was part of a pattern and emphasized Iran’s past of executing sports champions for their views, including Habib Khabiri, captain of the national football team, and a women's sports leader, leader of the women's volleyball squad. In the year 2020, a wrestling champion, a young national competitor, faced the death penalty.

Further signatories to the statement comprise Tracy Edwards, who led the inaugural women's squad in a international sailing event and was the first woman to receive a esteemed nautical honor; the ex- skipper of the national squad Craig Foster; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the Iranian squad for the global tournament.

Apprehension and Unfair Trial

The athlete was taken into custody in March 2020. The allegations against him entailed “promoting decay on Earth through fire-setting and ruin of state assets”. His ruling has been annulled multiple times but on the fourth of October it was maintained on the third occasion. His trial was criticized as “grossly unfair” by human rights activists and bodies.

Call to UN

The appeal to halt Vafaei Sani’s execution is subsequent to a earlier appeal to the UN high commissioner for freedoms, signed by more than one hundred rights specialists and groups, demanding intervention to avert the athlete’s death.

Capital Punishment Escalation

According to findings, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the country, which has achieved horrific dimensions”. In two thousand twenty-three, the government executed at least 853 people – a nearly half increase on 2022. The year before, statistics showed nine hundred seventy-two capital punishments, representing the peak figure since two thousand fifteen. In excess of eight hundred people have been put to death so far in 2025.

Political prisoners and opponents are focus, especially in the aftermath of the 2022's demonstrations. Specialists say the regime have utilized the executions to quell opposition, instil apprehension among the public and tighten their control on power.