At 27 years old, Navid Afkari is one of Irans brightest wrestlers with a number of Championship wins in his country. The Greco-Roman wrestler was sentenced to death by the Iranian regime for demonstrating against the government during a protest in 2018.
Whilst being held by authorities, his mother claims he has received injuries and mental torture to the point of trying to commit suicide. As we all know, wrestlers are naturally some of the most mentally tough people alive which shows the probable pain inflicted on Afkari.
His two brothers have also been jailed and sentenced to lashes, as opposed to the death penalty. The news of his trial has been picked up by international news amid outcry of his treatment. Whatever your political opinions or views, most would agree that it’s a democratic right to do a peaceful protest without fear of death. With this said, there is still a small amount of hope that the international community can pressure Iran to reverse their decision and keep Afkari alive.
