🔗 Share this article Olympians Call on Iranian Authorities to Stop Death Sentence of Boxing Star Over 20 Olympic medallists, coaches and additional international athletes have signed a letter demanding a halt to the death penalty of a boxing champion and trainer, who is on death row in the country. Growing International Outrage Amid increasing worldwide anger over Iran’s escalating use of capital punishment as a instrument of suppression, the forcefully phrased letter censures the Iranian regime's verdict to maintain the execution order of the athlete. The athlete, three decades old, from Mashhad in the northern province, was detained for participating in countrywide demonstrations in 2019 and indicted of aiding an dissident organization. He has endured five years in prison, where he has been abused and confined in solitary confinement. “Competition is intended to inspire optimism, unity, and fortitude,” the endorsers stated. “The execution of a titleholder for his opinions is a blatant attack on these principles and a warning to every athlete who ventures to speak out. Record of Executing Sports Figures The statement noted that the boxer's case was not unique and emphasized the nation's history of sentencing to death athletes for their beliefs, including Habib Khabiri, captain of the national football team, and a women's sports leader, skipper of the female volleyball side. In the year 2020, a wrestling champion, a 27-year Iranian competitor, faced the death penalty. Additional supporters to the appeal comprise a yachting pioneer, who captained the pioneering all-female crew in a round-the-world competition and was the first woman to receive a renowned sailing award; the former captain of the Australian football team Craig Foster; and a footballer, who was in the country's selection for the 1978 World Cup. Detention and Unfair Trial The athlete was taken into custody in the spring of 2020. The charges against him comprised “causing deterioration on Earth through incendiarism and damage of public property”. His sentence has been reversed twice but on 4 October it was upheld on the third occasion. His court case was denounced as “highly unjust” by advocates and groups. Appeal to International Body The appeal to halt the athlete's death sentence is subsequent to a 2023 appeal to the UN high commissioner for freedoms, endorsed by in excess of one hundred human rights experts and organizations, demanding action to stop the sports figure's execution. Capital Punishment Escalation As per reports, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the nation, which has attained horrific levels”. In 2023, officials put to death at least eight hundred fifty-three people – a 48% increase on 2022. The year before, records showed nine hundred seventy-two executions, constituting the peak figure since two thousand fifteen. More than 800 people have been put to death so far in 2025. Activists and dissidents are targets, notably in the wake of the the year 2022 protests. Analysts say the Iranian authorities have utilized the capital punishment to suppress dissent, generate anxiety among the public and tighten their grip on power.