Navid Afkari: Iran Executes Young Fighter Despite Global Outrage

Iran has executed a fighter accused of murder, state media report, defying international calls for him to be saved.

Navid Afkari, 27, was sentenced to death for the murder of a security guard during a wave of anti-government protests in 2018.

He said that he had been tortured to make a confession.

A union representing 85,000 athletes worldwide was one of those who called for a stay of execution.

The World Players Association said he had been “unfairly targeted” for participating in the protests and called for Iran’s expulsion from world sport if it continued with the execution.

US President Donald Trump also asked for clemency, saying that “the fighter’s only act was a demonstration in the streets against the government.”

Afkari was executed by hanging in the southern city of Shiraz, state media reported.

His brothers Vahid and Habib were sentenced to 54 and 27 years in prison in the same case, according to human rights activists in Iran.

In an audio recording leaked from the prison where he is being held, Afkari said he had been tortured. Their mother said his children were forced to testify against each other.

The brothers’ lawyer, Hassan Younesi, said on Twitter that contrary to Iranian news reports, there was no video of the moment of the security guard’s murder. He added that the images used as evidence in the case were taken an hour before the crime occurred.

Iranian authorities have denied the torture allegations.

Afkari was a national champion of wrestling, a sport that has a long history and is very popular in Iran.

In 2018, protesters in cities across Iran took to the streets amid economic hardships and political repression.