Mohammad Javad Vafaei-Sani, a 30-year-old Iranian boxer, finds himself in dire circumstances. He received a death sentence for 'corruption on Earth,' and faces imminent execution.
Authorities arrested Vafaei-Sani back in March 2020, charging him with "incitement and deliberate destruction of government buildings," allegations he firmly denies. They also accused him of having connections with the People's Mojahedin Organization (MEK). Kept in Vakilabad prison in Mashhad, his situation has deteriorated as the Iranian Supreme Court rejected his request for another trial. Just this September, after being sentenced to death for the third time, concerns over his fate intensified.
Organizations like HRANA and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) have raised alarms about the looming execution. Their efforts come alongside an appeal from the World Boxing Council to spare Vafaei-Sani's life, though unfortunately without success so far. The NCRI stated bluntly,
"His life is now in grave danger."
Vafaei-Sani’s legal battles continue with attempts to overturn his conviction. His lawyer, Babak Paknia, shared on X (formerly Twitter),
"Despite the annulment of the previous verdict by the Supreme Court... This sentence can be appealed."The judgment itself remains controversial due to conflicts within judicial opinions.
Notably, Vafaei-Sani's mother gained unexpected permission to visit him recently—a practice often observed before executions occur in Iran. Meanwhile, reports from 'Iran Human Rights Monitor' identify judges such as Hossein Yazdankhah and Saadi Makan as those who issued previous death sentences against him.
As developments unfold rapidly around Vafaei-Sani's case and life hangs in balance, international calls for justice grow louder.
You can read further insight regarding his legal journey [here](https://iranwire.com/en/2024/09/01/iranian-boxer-third-death-sentence/) with details sourced from Iranwire on September 2024.
