Iran executes Olympic champion wrestler Navid Afkari despite global outcry and pleas
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has reacted after the Iranian republic on Saturday morning September 12, executed young wrestler Navid Afkari over the murder of a public sector worker, Hossein Torkman during anti-government protests in August 2018.
Afkari was executed in the morning at a prison in the southern city of Shiraz, provincial prosecutor general Kazem Mousavi was quoted as saying on Iranian state television’s website.
The 27-year-old Afkari had been found guilty of “voluntary homicide” for stabbing to death Hossein Torkman, according to the judiciary.
On the day of the ‘murder’, Shiraz and other Iranian cities had been the scene of anti-government protests and demonstrations over economic and social hardship.
Reports allege Afkari was condemned on the basis of confessions extracted under torture, and now the IOC has reacted, stating their disappointment at his execution despite their pleas.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it was “shocked” by Saturday’s execution
“The IOC is shocked by this announcement today,” the statement published on Twitter reads
IOC president Thomas Bach had made direct personal appeals to the Supreme Leader and to the President of Iran this week and asked for mercy for Navid Afkari, while respecting the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“It is deeply upsetting that the pleas of athletes from around the world and all the behind-the-scenes work of the IOC, together with the NOC of Iran, United World Wrestling and the National Iranian Wrestling Federation, did not achieve our goal.
“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Navid Afkari,” Bach added.
US President Donald Trump had earlier this month pleaded for Afkari’s life saying that his “sole act was an anti-government demonstration on the streets”.
“To the leaders of Iran, I would greatly appreciate if you would spare this young man’s life, and not execute him. Thank you!” he wrote on Twitter.
We begging on behalf, please don’t execute him
May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace
Is a pity u have to die because no one is above the law
Well its congratulated him.
I may not be able to condemn the execution of guy because what he did is so bad but they should have tampered justice with mercy. People should learn how to not to inflict pain on human fellow, may God forgive his sins.
What he did was so awful and so disappointing as his exposure but government should have pardoned him based on his plea. Why can’t they make use of this law on those corrupt leaders because many are killing many lives alive. May God grant their families to bear the irreparable loss.
So sad.. But he shouldn’t have involved him self in a voluntary homicide and the court should have sentence him instead.
It sounds so absurd to hear that someone has been executed for his or her wrong doing. If God has been executing people when they wrong him, who would have been alive in this mother earth
There is no where in the world that it has been proven that ‘capital punishment’ has helped in any way to stop people from committing a crime instead it even makes criminals to be more hardened and also more wicked
In as much as Iran is a sovereign country, at least they would have listened to all the pleas from people and temper justice with mercy knowing fully well that even if this man committed this crime of murder, he was not a murderer but a victim of circumstance of just ordinary Anti government protest
is so sad to hear this but they should just do something about it Incas of next time
This is wickedness in high places..
So tragic
Rest on Afkari
So sad even after all the pleadings
Please justice him with mercy, it’s what the guy did was totally bad and is true nobody above the law, you can just consider him with another punishment instead of kill him, look at what American President said, I mean Jonah Trump he said they should have mercy on him instead of killing. So I suggest you should have mercy on him.
We plead for his forgiveness..at least being lockup in prison is better than killing him
Forgive others, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace. if you agree
He killed,justice has to take its course,may his soul rest in peace.