Iranian Boxing Champion and Political Prisoner Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani Wins 2026 Magnitsky Award for Outstanding Human Rights Activist
London – Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, an Iranian martial arts and boxing champion and coach currently on death row, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Magnitsky Human Rights Award in the category of Outstanding Human Rights Activist.
The Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign announced the honour, describing Vafaei Sani as an Iranian boxing champion and coach sentenced to death for taking part in anti-government protests and supporting the political opposition.
Iran Freedom, which represents the Iranian diaspora and promotes democratic change, welcomed the decision, stating: “Well-deserved! Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, a martial arts champion and political prisoner on death row in Iran, wins the 2026 Magnitsky Award for his human rights activism. His bravery inspires us all. #StopExecutionsInIran.”
Well-deserved! Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, a martial arts champion and political prisoner on death row in Iran, wins the 2026 Magnitsky Award for his human rights activism. His bravery inspires us all. #StopExecutionsInIran https://t.co/ajv2Sq9kWw
— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) November 10, 2026
According to the official Magnitsky Awards biography, Vafaei Sani was born in Mashhad and arrested in 2020 for participating in the nationwide anti-government protests of November 2019. He was accused of supporting an opposition movement and charged with “corruption on earth” (efsade-fel-arz), a charge that carries the death penalty. He has received three death sentences; Iran’s Supreme Court overturned the first two, but a third sentence issued in September 2024 was upheld in October 2025. International human rights organisations have condemned the proceedings as grossly unfair.
Since his arrest he has endured severe physical and psychological torture, prolonged solitary confinement, and repeated threats of execution. His case has become a symbol of the Iranian regime’s persecution of peaceful dissent. Prominent athletes, Olympic medallists, human rights defenders and legal experts have repeatedly called for his immediate release and the annulment of his death sentence.
The Magnitsky Human Rights Awards, established in memory of Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, recognise individuals who risk their lives to defend human rights and confront authoritarian regimes. The 2026 awards are being presented in London in mid-November, with Vafaei Sani’s award to be presented by Bob Blackman MP, Chair of the British Committee for Iran Freedom.
The award underscores both Vafaei Sani’s personal courage and the broader struggle of political prisoners in Iran who face execution for their participation in protests and support for democratic change.