🔗 Share this article Elite Athletes Appeal on Iranian Authorities to Prevent Execution of Champion Boxer Over 20 Olympic medal winners, coaches and other international athletes have endorsed a statement demanding a stop to the capital punishment of a boxing titleholder and coach, who is on death row in the nation. Growing Worldwide Condemnation Amidst increasing international outrage over Iran’s increasing application of the death penalty as a instrument of repression, the powerfully expressed letter denounces the government's verdict to confirm the capital punishment of the boxing champion. The boxer, 30, from Mashhad in the northeastern region, was taken into custody for taking part in national uprisings in the year 2019 and charged of backing an resistance movement. He has passed half a decade in prison, where he has been mistreated and confined in solitary confinement. “Competition is designed to encourage optimism, togetherness, and bravery,” the endorsers expressed. “The death penalty of a winner for his political views is a blatant attack on these principles and a caution to all sportspeople who dares to speak out. Record of Killing Sports Figures The appeal noted that the boxer's situation was part of a pattern and emphasized the nation's record of sentencing to death athletes for their beliefs, including Habib Khabiri, leader of the national football team, and a volleyball captain, skipper of the national women’s volleyball team. In 2020, a wrestling champion, a 27-year Iranian sports titleholder, was also executed. Further endorsers to the letter comprise Tracy Edwards, who captained the first all-female crew in a international sailing event and was the first woman to receive a prestigious nautical honor; the previous captain of the national squad a sports advocate; and a sports figure, who was in the Iranian squad for the international competition. Apprehension and Flawed Legal Process The athlete was arrested in the spring of 2020. The allegations against him entailed “causing deterioration on Earth through arson and ruin of government belongings”. His verdict has been reversed multiple times but on the fourth of October it was confirmed on the latest review. His trial was condemned as “grossly unfair” by human rights activists and groups. Appeal to UN The urging to halt the athlete's execution comes after a 2023 statement to the United Nations official for freedoms, endorsed by in excess of one hundred advocates and groups, calling for measures to avert the athlete’s execution. Capital Punishment Escalation Based on data, there is an “execution crisis in Iran, which has reached alarming dimensions”. In two thousand twenty-three, the government put to death at least over 850 people – a 48% surge on 2022. Last year, statistics showed 972 executions, constituting the peak figure since 2015. Over eight hundred people have been executed so far in the current year. Political prisoners and dissidents are victims, especially in the aftermath of the 2022 demonstrations. Analysts say the government have utilized the executions to quell protest, create anxiety among the citizenry and strengthen their hold on authority.