Human Rights for Sport says at least six Iranian athletes face execution, while the Guardian reports two athletes were executed in Iran during the past month.
The group named Ali Pishevarzadeh, Ehsan Hosseinpour, Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, Benyamin Naghdi, Taraneh Rahimi and Maryam Siri. The Guardian reported that Iran’s Supreme Court had upheld sentences for some of the six.
Mountaineer Ali-Sina Mostafavi was executed Oct. 14 after his arrest in April, the Guardian reported. His mountaineering record included an ascent of Mount Everest. The other sports figure was taekwondo athlete Siavash Jamshidi Kheirabadi, the outlet reported.
Human Rights for Sport believes targeting athletes is intended to warn the wider community, according to the Guardian. The outlet also reported that athletes’ families have faced pressure from security services. It cited the 2020 execution of wrestler Navid Afkari Sangari as a precedent.
