Iran denies that football player Amir Nasr Azadani was sentenced to death
PS
According to the Iranian penal code, three athletes are accused of similar crimes: disturbing public order, corruption on earth, coordination to commit crimes against national security, and declaring war on God. The punishment sought by Iranian justice for all three is the death penalty.
death cells
Azadani’s case stands out because of the global attention tied to the World Cup in Qatar, but many others share the fate of death row in Iran. As of now, there are 39 people on death row in the country. Among them, 28 have already faced gallows, including the cases of Mohsen Shekari and Majidreza Rahnavard, who were executed.
The most recent executions occurred after protests that grew across Iran since mid-September. A group linked to the Revolutionary Guards and Basij, a paramilitary structure involved in the crackdown, was reported to have sparked renewed violence during demonstrations. There are stories of Basijis participating in public celebrations and, in one highly public case, Rahnavard being hanged from a crane.
Cries on the nets to stop the World Cup and prevent the execution of football player Amir Nasr-Azadani
Gisela Macedo
The online conversations highlight a broader concern: the impact on youth and the broader society. Today, many who took part in the protests and the general strikes that followed were students or young workers. Who made the decisions at the demonstrations? In many cases, the youth, including high school students, played central roles.
Athletes, like other young people, are facing serious consequences for joining the protest movement. Several sports professionals lost their lives on days of public demonstrations. Ali Mozaffari, a volleyball player, died from a chest wound, while Mohammed Ghaemifar, a goalkeeper, was killed by a gunshot to the head.
Ihsan Ghasemifar, a bodybuilder, died under unclear circumstances. Human rights groups report that this young person was alive-streaming during a protest and was surrounded by security forces when events escalated. Hours later, authorities informed the family about the death at the morgue.
The numbers are alarming. Iranian NGOs in exile estimate that hundreds of people have died in the protests; some figures suggest more than 500 lives lost, with many others left uncounted. Local groups describe intimidation campaigns that mimic court procedures to extract confessions or justify executions.
Death on the street and in the courts
International observers note that in Iran, many young people are tried in ways that resemble hurried, non-transparent procedures. The call from human rights advocates is for urgent global action. They urge governments to pressure Iranian authorities to stop using the death penalty as a political tool and to avoid widening diplomatic or economic isolation.
Meanwhile, demonstrations persist, though with changing intensity. Three months after Mahsa Amini’s death at the hands of the morality police, protests continue to challenge the regime.
Emir Nasr Azadani is a footballer whose case drew attention during a moment of high international spotlight. His situation is part of a broader pattern in which athletes and other public figures face severe penalties for participation in protests or alleged acts linked to demonstrations.
Parham Parvari, a 26-year-old professional swimmer, remains a case without clear details about the reason for arrest. Family members claim the arrest occurred during a day of protests and that the vehicle involved bore a Saqqez license plate, a Kurdish city linked to Mahsa Amini’s origins. Parvari is described as Kurdish as well.
Sahand Nurmohammadzadeh, a 25-year-old bodybuilder, is accused of possession of an incendiary device amid protests; he denies the charges in an audio recording that circulated among Persian-language opposition outlets.
In the midst of these events, many voices are calling for restraint and accountability. The ongoing situation underscores the gravity of political and social dissent in Iran and the severe penalties that have accompanied the protests.