Iranian footballer sentenced to execution for campaigning for women’s rights

The global body representing professional footballers has condemned the news. Photo / FIFPro

Professional footballer Amir Nasr-Azadani is reportedly facing execution in Iran for “campaigning for women’s rights and basic freedom in his country”.

FifPro, the international players union, said it was “shocked and sickened” at the reports and called for the punishment to be revoked.

There have been widespread anti-government protests in Iran sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in custody in September having been detained for allegedly failing to follow the country’s Islamic dress code.

Prior to the opening 6-2 defeat to England on November 21, the Iran team stood silent when the national anthem was played, which was interpreted as a show of support for the anti-government protests in their country.

Nasr-Azadani played for Persian Gulf Pro League side Tractor between 2016 and 2018, after a short season-long spell with Rah Ahan in 2015-16. The 26-year-old defender has not played professionally since his last appearance in November 2017.

The Mizan news agency reported on Monday that a second man had been publicly executed in the past week.

FIFPRO is shocked and sickened by reports that professional footballer Amir Nasr-Azadani faces execution in Iran after campaigning for women’s rights and basic freedom in his country.

We stand in solidarity with Amir and call for the immediate removal of his punishment. pic.twitter.com/vPuylCS2ph

— FIFPRO (@FIFPRO) December 12, 2022

Majid Reza Rahnavard who, according to state media, had been sentenced to execution after being convicted of killing two members of the Iranian security forces, was hanged in the city of Mashhad. The report added that “he was sentenced to death for ‘waging war against God’ after stabbing to death two members of the security forces”.

The United States State Department condemned Iran for Rahnavard’s execution.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday: “We denounce this draconian treatment in the strongest terms. These harsh sentences and now the first public execution... are meant to intimidate Iran’s people. They’re meant to suppress dissent.”

Amnesty International has said Iranian authorities are seeking the death penalty for at least 21 people in what it called “sham trials designed to intimidate those participating in the popular uprising that has rocked Iran”.

Mohsen Shekari, a man who had been sentenced to death for injuring a security guard with a knife and blocking a street in Tehran, was also hanged in public days before Rahnavard’s execution.

FifPro posted on its Twitter account that two other footballers, Voria Ghafouri and Parviz Borouman were also detained after the protests in Iran, but released just hours before the national team met the US in their final World Cup match.