Twenty-eight-year-old Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, a former boxing champion and coach from Mashhad, is once again facing execution. On Saturday, October 4, the country’s Supreme Court confirmed his death sentence for the third time—even though it had been overturned twice before due to serious legal flaws.
Vafaei Sani was born in 1996 and was a promising athlete in his hometown. Beyond his own career, he dedicated himself to training children and teenagers, teaching them self-defense and boxing. His life changed dramatically when he was arrested after the nationwide protests in November 2019 and taken to Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad in March 2020.
Years of deprivation in prison
For over five years, Mohammad Javad has been living in extremely harsh prison conditions. He suffers from a severe knee injury that requires physical therapy but has been denied access to medical treatment. He has also not been allowed to use the prison’s sports facilities, which could help his rehabilitation. In violation of legal regulations, he is held with violent criminals, despite being a political prisoner.
The proceedings against him have been marked by massive violations of due process from the start. His hearings took place behind closed doors, and his chosen lawyer was not allowed to represent him. There is no clear evidence to support his alleged involvement in arson or destruction. Yet, the Revolutionary Court has issued the death penalty three times, and now the Supreme Court has confirmed this sentence.
Warnings from human rights organizations
Our human rights organization has repeatedly publicized this case, highlighting the mortal danger for Mohammad Javad. We have made it clear that the execution of innocent prisoners not only destroys individual lives but also leaves an entire society in fear and mourning.
The fate of Somayeh Rashidi, a young woman who recently died in prison due to a lack of medical care and medication, further illustrates the cruelty of the system. Whether through a death sentence or the deliberate denial of life-saving treatment, prisoners in Iran are in constant mortal danger.
An urgent call
The third confirmation of the death sentence makes the threat of execution more imminent than ever before. Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani was not just a boxer and a coach; he was a young man with dreams and hopes. His life must not be extinguished.
We call on the international community, human rights organizations, and all people with compassion to join our campaign against the death penalty. The lives of Mohammad Javad and many other prisoners in Iran are at stake. Now is the time to stand together and amplify their voices.
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