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Over twenty Olympic medal winners, mentors and other international athletes have put their names to a letter urging a halt to the death penalty of a boxing titleholder and trainer, who is facing execution in Iran.

Growing International Outrage

Amidst growing worldwide anger over the nation's increasing application of capital punishment as a tool of repression, the strongly worded statement condemns the authorities's ruling to maintain the execution order of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani.

The boxer, three decades old, from Mashhad in the northern province, was taken into custody for participating in countrywide demonstrations in 2019 and charged of supporting an resistance movement. He has passed half a decade in incarceration, where he has been abused and kept in isolation.

“Competition is designed to encourage faith, togetherness, and courage,” the supporters expressed. “The capital punishment of a champion for his opinions is a blatant attack on these principles and a caution to all sportspeople who ventures to voice opinions.

Record of Putting to Death Competitors

The letter said that Vafaei Sani’s case was not an isolated one and highlighted the nation's record of putting to death athletes for their beliefs, including a national team leader, leader of the football side, and a volleyball captain, captain of the women's volleyball squad. In two thousand twenty, an athlete, a young national wrestling champion, was also executed.

Other supporters to the letter comprise a yachting pioneer, who led the pioneering women's squad in a international sailing event and was the pioneering lady to be awarded a esteemed yachting trophy; the ex- captain of the Australian football team a sports advocate; and a sports figure, who was in the country's selection for the 1978 World Cup.

Arrest and Unjust Proceedings

The boxer was taken into custody in the spring of 2020. The accusations against him entailed “causing deterioration on Earth through incendiarism and damage of government belongings”. His ruling has been overturned twice but on the fourth of October it was upheld on the latest review. His court case was criticized as “highly unjust” by advocates and organizations.

Urging to International Body

The appeal to halt the athlete's capital punishment comes after a 2023 letter to the UN high commissioner for freedoms, backed by in excess of a hundred advocates and organizations, calling for action to prevent the competitor's capital punishment.

Capital Punishment Escalation

As per data, there is an “death penalty surge in Iran, which has achieved horrific dimensions”. In two thousand twenty-three, authorities sentenced at least over 850 people – a 48% surge on 2022. Last year, records showed nearly a thousand executions, marking the maximum count since the year 2015. Over 800 people have been sentenced so far in the current year.

Political prisoners and dissidents are victims, particularly in the wake of the the year 2022 demonstrations. Specialists say the government have employed the capital punishment to quell protest, create fear among the citizenry and tighten their hold on rule.