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More than two dozen Olympic medallists, trainers and additional international athletes have signed a letter demanding a stop to the death penalty of a boxing titleholder and coach, who is on death row in Iran.

Growing Global Anger

Amid rising global condemnation over the country's increasing application of capital punishment as a instrument of oppression, the strongly worded appeal censures the Iranian regime's decision to maintain the death sentence of the boxing champion.

The boxer, three decades old, from Mashhad in the northern province, was arrested for being involved in national uprisings in the year 2019 and accused of backing an dissident organization. He has spent five years in prison, where he has been abused and held in solitary confinement.

“Sport is designed to promote hope, togetherness, and fortitude,” the signatories wrote. “The death penalty of a titleholder for his opinions is a direct assault on these principles and a admonition to every athlete who dares to speak out.

Pattern of Putting to Death Competitors

The letter noted that Vafaei Sani’s circumstances was part of a pattern and underscored the nation's history of putting to death sports champions for their convictions, such as a football captain, skipper of the national football team, and a volleyball captain, captain of the women's volleyball squad. In two thousand twenty, an athlete, a 27-year-old Iranian sports titleholder, faced the death penalty.

Other endorsers to the statement comprise a yachting pioneer, who skippered the first all-female crew in a international sailing event and was the pioneering lady to earn a renowned nautical honor; the ex- skipper of the national squad Craig Foster; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the country's selection for the global tournament.

Apprehension and Unjust Proceedings

The boxer was arrested in March 2020. The charges against him entailed “causing deterioration on Earth through incendiarism and damage of state assets”. His ruling has been annulled twice but on 4 October it was upheld on the third occasion. His court case was denounced as “deeply biased” by human rights activists and groups.

Call to International Body

The appeal to prevent the athlete's capital punishment follows a 2023 appeal to the global human rights chief for rights, signed by in excess of a hundred rights specialists and organizations, calling for measures to prevent the competitor's death.

Capital Punishment Escalation

As per findings, there is an “death penalty surge in the nation, which has attained shocking levels”. In 2023, officials put to death at least eight hundred fifty-three people – a nearly half increase on 2022. Last year, statistics showed nine hundred seventy-two capital punishments, constituting the peak figure since 2015. Over hundreds of people have been put to death so far in the current year.

Activists and dissidents are targets, notably in the wake of the 2022 protests. Experts say the regime have used the death penalty to quell protest, create apprehension among the citizenry and reinforce their grip on power.