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Over 20 Olympic champions, trainers and other world-class competitors have put their names to a letter urging a end to the capital punishment of a boxing titleholder and trainer, who is on death row in the country.

Growing Worldwide Condemnation

Amid rising international outrage over Iran’s escalating use of executions as a means of suppression, the powerfully expressed appeal censures the government's verdict to maintain the death sentence of the athlete.

The athlete, three decades old, from the city in the northern province, was arrested for being involved in countrywide demonstrations in the year 2019 and accused of supporting an opposition group. He has endured half a decade in detention, where he has been abused and kept in solitary confinement.

“Competition is intended to promote faith, solidarity, and courage,” the endorsers stated. “The execution of a titleholder for his political views is a clear violation on these values and a admonition to every athlete who ventures to speak out.

Record of Executing Sports Figures

The statement noted that the boxer's case was not an isolated one and underscored the country's record of putting to death sports champions for their convictions, for example Habib Khabiri, skipper of the football side, and a volleyball captain, leader of the national women’s volleyball team. In the year 2020, a wrestling champion, a young national competitor, was also executed.

Further supporters to the letter comprise a yachting pioneer, who led the pioneering female-only team in a round-the-world competition and was the initial female to be awarded a esteemed nautical honor; the ex- skipper of the soccer side Craig Foster; and a footballer, who was in the national team for the 1978 World Cup.

Apprehension and Unjust Proceedings

The boxer was detained in early 2020. The accusations against him included “causing deterioration on Earth through fire-setting and destruction of state assets”. His verdict has been reversed twice but on October 4 it was maintained on the third attempt. His legal proceedings was denounced as “highly unjust” by human rights activists and organizations.

Call to United Nations

The call to stop the boxer's capital punishment is subsequent to a 2023 statement to the global human rights chief for human rights, endorsed by in excess of a hundred rights specialists and groups, demanding measures to avert the competitor's execution.

Death Penalty Surge

Based on data, there is an “death penalty surge in the nation, which has reached horrific dimensions”. In two thousand twenty-three, the government executed at least over 850 people – a forty-eight percent surge on 2022. The year before, statistics showed 972 capital punishments, marking the peak figure since 2015. Over eight hundred people have been put to death so far in the current year.

Political prisoners and dissidents are focus, especially in the aftermath of the 2022's protests. Specialists say the regime have used the capital punishment to stifle protest, generate apprehension among the public and reinforce their control on power.