Fears grow for Iranian athletes on death row as mountaineer latest to be hanged
Summary
Human Rights for Sport says at least six Iranian athletes face execution after Iran’s Supreme Court upheld their death sentences. The group says athletes have been targeted amid political protests and reports that six athletes have already been executed in cases linked to protests or earlier political charges.Key Facts
- Mountaineer Ali-Sina Mostafavi was executed on 14 October, after his death sentence was upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court in late September.
- Mostafavi was arrested in April and accused of firing on civilians in Kerman’s Azadi Square and taking part in January protests.
- Human Rights for Sport says at least six other athletes face execution, including swimmer Ali Pishevarzadeh, footballer Ehsan Hosseinpour and boxer Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani.
- The group also names MMA fighter Benyamin Naghdi, equestrian athlete Taraneh Rahimi and climber Maryam Siri among athletes sentenced to death this year.
- Taekwondo athlete Siavash Jamshidi Kheirabadi was killed in early October, and MMA fighter Gholamreza Khani Shakarab was hanged in May, according to the article.
- Human Rights for Sport says six athletes have already been executed in cases connected to January protests or earlier political charges.
- The group reports that 217 Iranian athletes were killed by direct gunfire in January and more than 100 others were detained.
- Human Rights for Sport says it is difficult to contact some athletes facing execution because security services are also targeting their families.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
