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In excess of twenty Olympic medallists, mentors and other international athletes have signed a appeal calling for a halt to the capital punishment of a champion boxer and trainer, who is sentenced to die in the nation.

Growing International Outrage

Amidst increasing global condemnation over the country's expanding employment of capital punishment as a means of suppression, the powerfully expressed letter condemns the government's ruling to uphold the execution order of the athlete.

The boxer, three decades old, from Mashhad in the northern province, was detained for being involved in national uprisings in 2019 and accused of aiding an resistance movement. He has passed five years in detention, where he has been mistreated and kept in seclusion.

“Sport is meant to promote faith, togetherness, and fortitude,” the supporters wrote. “The capital punishment of a winner for his political views is a blatant attack on these ideals and a admonition to all sportspeople who dares to voice opinions.

Record of Putting to Death Competitors

The statement noted that the athlete's situation was part of a pattern and highlighted the nation's record of sentencing to death sports champions for their views, for example a football captain, captain of the soccer squad, and a women's sports leader, captain of the female volleyball side. In the year 2020, an athlete, a young Iranian sports titleholder, faced the death penalty.

Additional supporters to the statement comprise a sailing champion, who captained the inaugural female-only team in a international sailing event and was the pioneering lady to earn a renowned yachting trophy; the previous captain of the national squad an athlete; and a sports figure, who was in the country's selection for the global tournament.

Detention and Flawed Legal Process

The athlete was arrested in early 2020. The allegations against him comprised “spreading corruption on Earth through fire-setting and destruction of government belongings”. His sentence has been overturned multiple times but on 4 October it was confirmed on the latest review. His court case was denounced as “grossly unfair” by human rights activists and bodies.

Urging to International Body

The call to prevent the boxer's capital punishment comes after a previous statement to the global human rights chief for freedoms, endorsed by in excess of 100 human rights experts and groups, demanding action to avert the athlete’s execution.

Capital Punishment Escalation

As per reports, there is an “death penalty surge in the nation, which has achieved shocking levels”. In two thousand twenty-three, the government executed at least 853 people – a nearly half surge on the previous year. In the prior period, statistics showed nearly a thousand executions, representing the highest number since 2015. Over 800 people have been sentenced so far in 2025.

Dissidents and opponents are targets, particularly in the aftermath of the the year 2022 protests. Experts say the government have utilized the capital punishment to suppress dissent, create fear among the public and strengthen their hold on power.