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UN Experts and Global Athletes Sound Alarm Over Escalating Political Executions in Iran

Iran Freedom
Political prisoners in Iran face imminent execution amid allegations of torture and unfair trials. Their lives depend on urgent international action.

UN Experts Warn of Imminent Executions in Iran

UN human rights experts are calling for urgent intervention to stop the execution of six political prisoners in Iran, warning that the men were sentenced to death following torture and grossly unfair trials. The experts expressed “grave concern” for Babak Alipour, Vahid Bani Amerian, Akbar (Shahrokh) Daneshvarkar, Pouya Ghobadi, Abolhassan Montazer, and Seyyed Mohammad Taghavi Sangdehi, all accused of “baghi” (armed rebellion) over alleged ties to the PMOI/MEK.

The prisoners were arrested between December 2023 and February 2024 without warrants. Reports indicate they were subjected to severe beatings, prolonged solitary confinement, denial of medical care, and coercive interrogations. Forced confessions were extracted under threats of execution. One prisoner suffered heart complications due to assault, while another faced restrictions on religious practice.

The six were tried jointly before Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court on October 6, 2024. The trial lasted only minutes and heavily relied on coerced confessions. Defendants were denied proper legal representation until the trial day. On November 30, 2024, they were sentenced to death. After the June 2025 strike on Evin Prison, they were moved to Ghezel Hesar Prison, known for frequent executions, increasing the urgency of concerns.

The UN experts stated that Iran’s actions violate multiple international human rights obligations, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Executions after unfair trials constitute arbitrary deprivation of life, while torture, solitary confinement, and denial of family contact breach the Convention Against Torture and the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.

Global Athletes Condemn Death Sentence of Boxer Javad Vafaei Sani

International sports figures, including Martina Navratilova, Riley Gaines, Nancy Hogshead, Sharron Davies, Inga Thompson, and Carilyn Johnson, have condemned the upholding of the death sentence against Iranian boxing champion Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani. Their joint statement calls the ruling a violation of human dignity and the core values of sport.

History of Executed Iranian Athletes

The coalition noted Iran’s history of executing athletes for political views, including national football captain Habib Khabiri, women’s volleyball captain Forouzan Abdi, and 2020 wrestling champion Navid Afkari. They argue these acts are intended to intimidate a population increasingly resistant to authoritarian rule.

Additional Death Sentences and Escalating Repression

Iran’s judiciary has also reaffirmed the death sentence of political prisoner Reza Abdali in Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz, on charges of supporting the MEK. Abdali is currently held in solitary confinement. The UN has reported over 1,000 executions in Iran since early 2025, amid what it describes as an “unprecedented execution spree.”

Calls for Immediate International Action

UN experts and global athletes are urging international organizations to intervene, halt the executions, and investigate torture allegations. They warn that without swift action, more political prisoners may face imminent execution under a system increasingly using capital punishment as a tool of political repression.

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