US President Donald Trump on Thursday called on Iran not to execute a young man sentenced to death for, according to Tehran, the murder of an official in “riots” in 2018.
According to Mizan Online, the official agency of the Judicial Authority, Navid Afkari, presented as a former wrestler, was found guilty of “intentional homicide” of an official of the public water authority in Shiraz (south), stabbed on August 2, 2018.
Like several other cities in Iran, Shiraz had been the scene that day of hostile demonstrations against power and denouncing the economic and social situation of the country.
“I learn that Iran is preparing to execute a great star in the fight, Navid Afkari, 27, who has only participated in an anti-government demonstration,” reacted the US president on Twitter.
“To the Iranian leadership, I would really appreciate it if you would spare this young man’s life and not execute him. Thank you ! “, he added.
Support for the accused also flourished on social networks, with the hashtag “Do not execute our Navid”, especially after the publication of information abroad claiming that Mr. Afkari had been convicted on the base. confessions extracted under torture.
With at least 251 executions in 2019, Iran is, after China, the country in the world that uses the death penalty the most, according to the latest global report on the death penalty published by Amnesty International.
The human rights organization nevertheless notes that “the number of recorded executions” in Iran “has halved” compared to 2018.