FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
A coalition of athletes wrote a letter condemning the Iranian regime for the death sentence of boxing champion Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, Fox News Digital has learned.
Signatories include women's sports activist Riley Gaines, tennis legend Martina Navratilova, US Olympic gold medalist swimmer Nancy Hogshead, UK Olympic medalist swimmer Sharron Davies, US Olympic cyclist Inga Thompson, US ultra-strong runner Carilyn Johnson and others.
The letter calls on the United Nations, international sports federations and world governments to intervene to prevent the conviction of Vafaei Sani.
"We, athletes and sports figures from around the world, strongly condemn the Iranian regime's decision on October 4, 2025, to uphold the death sentence of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, a 30-year-old boxing champion and coach from Mashhad," the signed letter states.
Mohammad Javad has spent more than five years in prison under torture and solitary confinement for participating in the 2019 pro-democracy protests and supporting the democratic opposition PMOI (MEK). His case is not an isolated tragedy.
Iran has a grim history of executing athletes for their beliefs, including the captain of the national football team, Habib Khabiri, and the captain of the women's national volleyball team, Forouzan Abdi, the latter executed along with 30,000 political prisoners during the 1988 massacre.
In 2020, Iranian wrestling champion Navid Afkari was executed after participating in peaceful protests in 2018.
"In recent months, Iranian authorities have executed many other protesters on similar false charges with complete impunity. These political executions are a ruthless attempt by the authorities to intimidate and silence an increasingly volatile population that is no longer willing to accept their corrupt and oppressive rule."
"Sport is meant to inspire hope, unity and courage. The execution of a champion for his political views is a direct attack on these values and a warning to every athlete who dares to speak out."
The boxer was arrested in March 2020 in Mashhad for political activities and support for the Iranian dissident organization, the People's Mujahedin Organization. Vafaei Sani previously participated in the 2019 protests against the regime.
Iran's Supreme Court initially overturned his death sentence and ordered a retrial, but the Revolutionary Court then reissued the death sentence without new evidence.
The second sentence was also overturned by the Supreme Court, but then the Mashhad Revolutionary Court issued a death sentence for the third time.
In the third stage of appeal, the Supreme Court has now upheld this decision.
Now, as his case draws global attention, he has enlisted two unexpected allies, Gaines and Navratilova, who are speaking out in support of Vafaei Sani.
Gaines is a staunch conservative activist and supporter of President Donald Trump, while Navratilova has a reputation for expressing left-wing opinions on social media and is often critical of Trump and other Republican Party figures.
However, another area where Gaines and Navratilova agree is the issue of biological males in women's sports.
Gaines and Navratilova, both former athletes, have expressed their belief in protecting women's sports from the inclusion of transgender athletes.
But now the two figures are of one mind on at least one other issue.
The Iranian regime was described by the United Nations as a country on an “unprecedented execution spree.” The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said the Islamic Republic of Iran has carried out more than 1,000 executions since the beginning of the year.
With up to nine executions each day at the time of their report, the OHCHR said the victims were mainly accused of murder and drug-related crimes. / Adapted from Fox News /
Lini një Përgjigje