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Source, Twitter
Iranian fighter Navid Afkari was executed despite the reaction of the international community.
Afkari, 27, was accused of killing a security guard during anti-government demonstrations in 2018.
Afkari said he was forced to confess to the murder under torture.
Among those who called for the execution to be stopped was the World Players Association, which represents 85,000 athletes worldwide. The association said Afkari was “unfairly targeted” for participating in opposition rallies, and announced that Iran would be banned from competitions if the execution takes place.
US President Donald Trump also called for an end to the execution, saying that Afkari’s only action was “to participate in anti-government demonstrations in the streets.”
According to official Iranian media, Afkari was hanged and executed in Shiraz, south of Sharia.
According to human rights activists in Iran, Afkari’s brothers, Vahid and Habib, were also found guilty in the same case and sentenced to 54 and 27 years in prison each.
Question marks on evidence
Afkari said in a voice recording that he leaked from the prison where he was being held that he was tortured. His mother also announced that her son was forced to confess to torture to murder.
His brother’s lawyer, Hassan Younesi, stated on his Twitter account that there were no images of Afkari murdering the security guard, contrary to what the Iranian news agencies claim. The lawyer said the video presented as evidence was taken an hour before the murder.
Iranian officials denied the torture accusations.
Afkari was one of the most successful athletes in the country in wrestling, which is one of the most popular and followed sports in Iran throughout history. Afkari had a championship in national competitions.
The 2018 demonstrations in Iran were born in reaction to economic problems and political stagnation.
