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Over 20 Olympic champions, mentors and further global sports figures have put their names to a statement demanding a halt to the death penalty of a boxing titleholder and trainer, who is on death row in the country.

Growing Global Anger

During increasing global condemnation over Iran’s expanding employment of capital punishment as a means of suppression, the strongly worded statement condemns the government's verdict to maintain the execution order of the athlete.

The athlete, three decades old, from the city in the northeastern region, was arrested for taking part in nationwide protests in 2019 and accused of backing an resistance movement. He has spent five years in prison, where he has been abused and kept in isolation.

“Competition is designed to encourage optimism, unity, and fortitude,” the supporters wrote. “The execution of a winner for his opinions is a direct assault on these ideals and a warning to all sportspeople who dares to speak out.

Record of Executing Sports Figures

The letter pointed out that the athlete's circumstances was part of a pattern and underscored the country's history of sentencing to death sports champions for their views, such as a national team leader, leader of the football side, and a volleyball captain, leader of the national women’s volleyball team. In 2020, Navid Afkari, a 27-year Iranian sports titleholder, was also executed.

Further signatories to the letter consist of Tracy Edwards, who led the pioneering women's squad in a global yacht race and was the initial female to be awarded a renowned yachting trophy; the previous leader of the Australian football team an athlete; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the country's selection for the 1978 World Cup.

Arrest and Flawed Legal Process

The boxer was arrested in early 2020. The allegations against him entailed “promoting decay on Earth through arson and damage of public property”. His verdict has been annulled twice but on October 4 it was maintained on the third occasion. His trial was criticized as “highly unjust” by rights defenders and organizations.

Appeal to International Body

The call to halt the boxer's capital punishment follows a 2023 statement to the global human rights chief for human rights, signed by over 100 human rights experts and groups, calling for action to prevent the competitor's execution.

Death Penalty Surge

Based on findings, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the nation, which has attained shocking dimensions”. In two thousand twenty-three, authorities executed at least eight hundred fifty-three people – a forty-eight percent rise on 2022. In the prior period, data showed nine hundred seventy-two executions, representing the maximum count since 2015. In excess of eight hundred people have been sentenced so far in 2025.

Political prisoners and opponents are focus, notably in the aftermath of the 2022's demonstrations. Analysts say the government have used the executions to suppress dissent, instil fear among the public and reinforce their hold on authority.