Navid Afkari’s Execution Order Carried Out Without Final Visit Rights and Without Informing Case Lawyers
An informed source says Navid Afkari was executed on Saturday, September 12, without being granted his right to a final visit with his family members in Shiraz, and was buried under strict security measures.
An informed source close to the Afkari family said on Sunday, September 13, in an exclusive interview with the Persian service of Voice of America that Navid Afkari’s execution order was implemented while the family and lawyer of this political prisoner were unaware of the execution time and were unable to have a final visit with him.
According to this informed source, Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old Iranian wrestler and one of those detained during popular protests on Saturday, September 12, was executed in Shiraz and buried in Sangar village, Sepidan County, Fars Province, with the presence of some family members under strict security measures, and his family has not been given the right to hold any ceremony.
This informed source told Voice of America that on Friday, September 11, during his last brief contact with his family, this political prisoner announced that prison authorities had told him: “Tomorrow morning you will be transferred to Tehran with Vahid and Habib Afkari.”
This informed source, who requested anonymity, told Voice of America: “The case lawyers, who were not informed of the execution, were supposed to meet with the victim’s family on Saturday when they went to Shiraz, but before the meeting, they were informed by a call from Navid Afkari’s brother that the execution order had been carried out—an execution order whose case file contained countless contradictions.”
Hasan Younesi, Navid Afkari’s defense lawyer, announced in a post on his Twitter account that news of this political prisoner was released while a group of charity workers from Shiraz were scheduled to meet with them on Sunday, September 23, to discuss and seek the victim’s family’s consent.
According to Mr. Younesi, the Islamic Republic’s judiciary “was in such a hurry to execute the order” that contrary to its own approved regulations, it prevented the person sentenced to death from meeting with his family before the execution.
Previously, Voice of America reported on some contradictions in Navid Afkari’s file, from confessions under torture to a witness who recanted his testimony, and a video that was never released; contradictions despite which Navid Afkari’s request for retrial was rejected by the Supreme Court and his execution order was implemented.
This informed source continued his conversation with Voice of America regarding the status of Vahid and Habib Afkari: “Currently, there is no information about the status of Navid’s two other brothers. Until now, there has been no news of their contact with their family, and no one knows exactly which ward of Adel Abad Prison in Shiraz they are being held in. However, it is possible that they are aware of the execution and their situation is concerning.”
According to this informed source, judicial authorities could not release evidence proving Navid Afkari’s guilt, and even the video that they claimed existed from the moment of the murder was not released despite repeated requests from Navid Afkari to release it.
He said: “A day has passed since this political prisoner’s execution, and from now on it is the people’s responsibility to continue seeking justice for Navid Afkari. Even if his family does not have the means to seek justice.”
The execution of Navid Afkari’s death sentence has sparked widespread international reaction.
Mike Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State, on Saturday, September 12, in a post on his Twitter account, while using the Persian hashtag “They Killed Our Navid,” called Iran’s regime’s execution of Navid Afkari a vicious and tyrannical act, strongly condemned it, and wrote, “The execution of Navid Afkari by Iran’s regime is a vicious and tyrannical act.”
Kelly Craft, U.S. Representative to the United Nations, also in a tweet using the Persian hashtag “They Killed Our Navid,” condemned the execution of Navid Afkari by Iran’s regime. Kelly Craft, expressing sympathy with Navid Afkari’s family, wrote: “We condemn the ongoing and shameless disregard by Iran’s regime for human life.”
She added: “The voices of the Iranian people will not be silenced.”
Robert Destro, Director of Democracy and Human Rights at the U.S. Department of State, expressed his anger and displeasure at Navid Afkari’s execution following torture and forced televised confession, and wrote in a tweet: “Iran’s regime’s cruelty knows no bounds and must be held accountable.”
Navid Afkari, who was arrested following protests in August 2018, had been sentenced to death twice, six and a half years imprisonment, and 74 lashes.
Vahid and Habib, brothers of this wrestler, have also been sentenced to similar charges of 54 and 27 years in prison with lashes.
American Response to the Ruling; President Trump: They Were Protesting Economic Deterioration
Donald Trump, President of the United States, on Thursday, September 4, in a tweet responded to the news of the conviction of an Iranian athlete for participating in street demonstrations and called on Islamic Republic officials not to execute him.
President Trump wrote: We hear that Iran is seeking to execute a great popular wrestling star, 27-year-old Navid Afkari, whose only action was participating in anti-government street protests. They were protesting “economic deterioration and inflation.”
He continued in another tweet addressing Iran’s leaders: “It would be a source of happiness for me if you would spare the life of this young man and not execute him. Thank you!”
Hours before that, Morgan Ortagus, spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department, tweeted: “Like the rest of the world, we are outraged at the death sentence issued for Navid Afkari, who, after participating in peaceful protests in 2018, was forced under torture to make false confessions. Iran’s regime also tortured his two brothers and sentenced them to decades in prison. Release them!”
The U.S. State Department spokeswoman reacted to the issuance of death and prison sentences for Navid Afkari and his brothers who participated in “peaceful protests in August 2018,” and called for their release.
Previously, Voice of America had reported that a source close to the Afkari family, who did not wish to have his name published for his safety, told Voice of America that the investigation of their charges in three separate cases at Shiraz Revolutionary Court, Branch One of a criminal court, and the second criminal court of Fars Province “was conducted unjustly and without observing any principles of human rights.”
This is while Afkari brothers, while denying the charges against them, particularly the murder of a security officer, say they were forced under pressure and severe torture to make false confessions. In recent days, many sports figures around the world have protested the death sentence issued for Navid Afkari.
Various protest letters have been launched by a number of sports organizations and human rights groups, which have so far been signed by thousands of people around the world.
These letters have been sent to the International Olympic Committee, the World Wrestling Federation, and several other sports and human rights organizations.
Human rights organizations say that the Islamic Republic does not fairly investigate charges and sometimes innocent people are tried and even executed. For example, the Islamic Republic executed thousands of people with prison convictions in the 1980s.
America says the Islamic Republic uses its country’s wealth to support terrorist groups and destabilize the Middle East instead of benefiting the Iranian people. The United States has also repeatedly condemned endemic financial corruption and the plundering of Iran’s natural resources by regime affiliates and has identified them as among the main causes of Iran’s economic and financial problems.
Source: Voice of America
