An Iranian wrestler sentenced to death has alleged that he was tortured into confessing to crimes including murder, via a letter published by the People’s Mujahedin Organisation of Iran, a political opponent of the Iranian State. The allegation that he was tortured is disputed by the official news agency of the Iranian judiciary. Mizan News Agency also argues that Navid Afkari has been tagged as a ‘wrestler’ in order to build public sympathy ahead of an appeal against his conviction.

علی‌رغم ادعاهای مطرح شده ، متهم نوید افکاری ، دارای وکیل تعیینی در دادسرا بود و در دادگاه نیز داری وکیل بوده است.
ادعای شکنجه متهمان صحت ندارد
رسانه‌های ضد انقلاب همچنین، مدعی شکنجه متهمان پرونده شده اند/

— خبرگزاری میزان (@MizanNewsAgency) August 31, 2020

Afkari was sentenced to death due to his alleged part in the murder of Hassan Torkaman, a security guard for a water company (ABFA) office in Shiraz, during August 2018 anti-government protests. Mizan News Agency claims that Afkari admitted murdering Torkaman. Hassan Younesi, a lawyer appointed by the Iranian State to represent Afkari and his two brothers, disputed Mizan News Agency’s claim that the alleged murder was captured on CCTV. 

‘There is no picture of the crime (the murder of the late Hassan Torkaman, a security guard at the ABFA office)’, he tweeted (below). ‘The alleged video relates to an hour before the murder’. It is understood that sentences handed down to all three brothers have been appealed.

هیچ تصویری از لحظه ارتکاب جرم ( قتل مرحوم حسن ترکمان کارمند حراست اداره آبفا) وجود ندارد. فیلم مورد ادعا مربوط به یک ساعت قبل از زمان قتل است .
توضیحات به زودی منتشر خواهد شد #نوید_افکاری https://t.co/9CEBTp6myV

— hassan younesi (@hassan_younesi) August 31, 2020

Behieh Namjoo, mother to all three defendants, said that Navid’s brother Vahid had attempted suicide three times after being subjected to torture. “They held an unjust court hearing full of lies”, she said in a video posted on Twitter (below). “They raised many allegations against them. They held one court hearing without any evidence and issued a ruling. I can’t even mention Navid’s ruling, and 25 years in prison for Vahid. I’m asking for help from people across the globe, everyone in Iran, anyone who can hear my voice so that my sons can be proven innocent in a fair court.”

#Iran

You can help stop the ongoing arrests/torture/executions of #IranProtesters & #PoliticalPrisoners in #Iran!

Msg your govts & add your voice to stop #CrimesAgainstHumanity and end impunity of regimes that kill & repress #humanrights of their citizens! pic.twitter.com/8ChXorGSxB

— Women's Committee NCRI (@womenncri) August 30, 2020

In February this year, Amnesty International took up the similar case of three anti-government protesters sentenced to death in connection to acts of arson during November 2019. A letter from Amnesty points out that they were also denied access to their choice of lawyers and allege that they were tortured. Their execution was halted in July this year, following Amnesty’s campaign. UN Watch has taken up the case of the Afkari brothers, pointing out that Iran is a member of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ).

?? The Islamic Republic of Iran just confirmed the death sentence of wrestling champion Navid Afkari for participating in 2018 protests against the regime.

?? The Islamic Republic of Iran is an elected member of the U.N. Commission on Criminal Justice.

Why, @antonioguterres? pic.twitter.com/9pLD5ABFKQ

— UN Watch (@UNWatch) August 29, 2020

In February 2019, Hakeem Al-Araibi was released after being detained by Thai security forces in November 2018, following a high profile campaign. He was destined at the request of Bahraini authorities, who alleged that he had vandalised a police station during a 2011 uprising. Al-Araibi fled Bahrain and was granted asylum status by Australia in 2014.