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Over two dozen Olympic champions, coaches and further international athletes have signed a appeal urging a halt to the capital punishment of a champion boxer and instructor, who is sentenced to die in Iran.

Escalating Worldwide Condemnation

During growing worldwide anger over Iran’s expanding employment of the death penalty as a means of oppression, the powerfully expressed letter denounces the government's ruling to maintain the execution order of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani.

Vafaei Sani, three decades old, from Mashhad in the northeastern region, was taken into custody for participating in countrywide demonstrations in 2019 and charged of backing an resistance movement. He has endured five years in prison, where he has been tortured and held in isolation.

“Sport is intended to inspire optimism, solidarity, and courage,” the signatories stated. “The execution of a titleholder for his beliefs is a clear violation on these values and a admonition to any competitor who dares to voice opinions.

Record of Killing Competitors

The letter said that Vafaei Sani’s case was not an isolated one and underscored the nation's history of sentencing to death sports champions for their beliefs, such as Habib Khabiri, captain of the soccer squad, and Fourouzan Abdi, leader of the women's volleyball squad. In the year 2020, an athlete, a 27-year-old national sports titleholder, faced the death penalty.

Further supporters to the letter comprise a yachting pioneer, who led the first women's squad in a round-the-world competition and was the initial female to be awarded a esteemed sailing award; the ex- captain of the Australian football team Craig Foster; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the national team for the international competition.

Apprehension and Unfair Trial

Vafaei Sani was arrested in the spring of 2020. The accusations against him included “promoting decay on Earth through fire-setting and destruction of public property”. His sentence has been reversed twice but on the fourth of October it was upheld on the third attempt. His court case was denounced as “grossly unfair” by advocates and groups.

Call to UN

The call to halt Vafaei Sani’s execution follows a earlier appeal to the UN high commissioner for freedoms, backed by over one hundred human rights experts and entities, urging measures to stop the sports figure's execution.

Execution Crisis

Based on data, there is an “execution crisis in the nation, which has achieved horrific levels”. In 2023, officials executed at least 853 people – a 48% rise on 2022. Last year, data showed nearly a thousand deaths, representing the highest number since the year 2015. More than hundreds of people have been put to death so far in the current year.

Political prisoners and dissidents are targets, notably in the aftermath of the the year 2022 protests. Experts say the government have used the death penalty to quell dissent, instil anxiety among the citizenry and reinforce their control on rule.