The Iranian regime is threatening to execute Vahid Afkari, brother of champion Iranian wrestler Navid Afkari, whose execution last year caused international shock waves.
“After executing the innocent athlete #NavidAfkari for protesting, authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran have now threatened to execute his jailed brother, #VahidAfkari, if he doesn’t agree to make forced confessions. His life is in danger,” tweeted United for Navid campaign founder Masih Alinejad Saturday.
Vahid was sentenced to 54 years and six months in prison and 74 lashes in 2018 for participating in anti-regime protests alongside his brothers Navid and Habib.
All three brothers were accused of complicity in a murder connected to the protests despite their denial.
Navid was executed in 2020 after the regime obtained his confession through torture, according to reports.
Vahid, who has not provided a false confession, has been in solitary confinement for over 230 days, according to another brother, Saeed Afkari.
“We are not a bit optimistic about the justice of the judiciary who was the main pillar of the crime against Navid,” Saeed tweeted last week.
Vahid has endured beatings and death threats from “two-high ranking officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran” and underwent an “interrogation session,” according to Saeed.
“The investigator did not allow access to the case file, the video of the beating, the forensic report of the injuries, and the solitary confinement is still ongoing,” Saeed tweeted April 22.
Habib also remains imprisoned on a sentence of 27 years and three months along with 74 lashes.
The Iranian regime is notorious for its extrajudicial killings and unjust imprisonments, yet its government remains seemingly impervious to international outcry and condemnation.
President Biden claims to place international human rights in a high-priority position as a means to move toward “the world that we wish to build for our children…where human rights are respected, and where all people are able to pursue their lives in dignity and security.”
However, as nuclear talks continue in Vienna, it is yet to be seen whether Iran’s egregious human rights violations will have any influence on the outcome of the negotiations or whether the Biden administration will decide to unleash billions of dollars to keep the barbaric regime alive.
