Footballer Amir Nasr-Azdani faces execution in Iran With the professional union FIFPRO and the former Bundesliga players Ali Karimi and Mehdi Mahdavikia, prominent supporters are behind him. But the regime’s brutality makes us fear the worst.
After all, the eyes of the world are on the fate of 26-year-old Amir Nasr-Azdani. The former Iran youth international is now said to be awaiting execution on one of the regime’s death rows, according to reports in the local media, which have not only shocked the major players’ union FIFPRO. “FIFPRO is shocked and saddened by reports that professional footballer Amir Nasr-Azdani is facing execution in Iran after campaigning for women’s rights and freedom in his country,” FIFPRO wrote on social media. “We stand in solidarity with Amir and call for his sentence to be lifted immediately.”
The 26-year-old former national youth international has been accused of being responsible for the deaths of a general and two members of the Basij militia, reports IranWire.com, an independent news outlet. Although Nasr-Azdani is said to have been present at some protests against the regime, he was never near the people who were killed. A relative also said that security forces threatened the detainee’s family and threatened him with the heaviest possible punishment if the arrest became known. With the former Bundesliga players Ali Karimi and Mehdi Mahdavikia, two prominent figures in the protests in Iran have also raised their voices. Karimi called for the death penalty to be abolished, while Mahdavikia expressed deep concern, the report said.
During the ongoing World Cup in Qatar, there were numerous protests against the regime in Tehran during Iran’s preliminary rounds. While these were still loud and colorful in the first game against England, more and more henchmen of the system mingled with the spectators in the following games against Wales and the USA. They intimidated and filmed the protesters. Physical altercations also broke out, which it appeared on the spot were tolerated by the local security forces.
According to a CNN report, the Iranian team was also put under massive pressure during the World Cup. During the game against England, the internationals were silent when the national anthem was played, but this changed over the course of the tournament. At a meeting with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, they were reportedly told that their families would face “violence and torture” if they did not sing the national anthem or participate in other political protests against the regime. The players sang the anthem against Wales and the USA.
According to the AFP news agency, the world football association FIFA was allowed to show support for the protests in Iran at the World Cup. “FIFA allows messages promoting human rights and FIFA’s position is that ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ or the name or portrait of Mahsa Amini are allowed in the stadiums,” FIFA said, according to AFP.
The protests, which the internationals initially joined symbolically, were triggered by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. She was arrested in mid-September 2022 for allegedly not following the country’s conservative dress code. Since then there have been protests in many Iranian cities against the regime, which in turn is taking action against the people with ever more brutal severity.
Last weekend, Majid-Reza Rhanawar, a second demonstrator, was executed in the course of the protests. The 23-year-old was sentenced to death at the end of November for “waging war against God”. He is also said to have killed two members of the paramilitary Basij militia and injured four others, according to the regime’s judicial authorities. Rap musician Mohsen Shekari was executed last Thursday. He, too, was convicted of “waging war against God.”
The EU reacted on Monday and imposed further sanctions on Iran. The sanctions package is aimed in particular at those responsible for “these incredible crimes”, said the Green politician shortly before the decision. These are the Revolutionary Guards in particular, but also those who try to intimidate or further punish people with violent videos. Baerbock described the executions in connection with the protests as a blatant attempt to intimidate people who took their opinions to the streets. They were done without a fair trial.