Cases of Political Prisoners Sentenced to Death in Iran
Case No. 11 | Case ID: IRN-DP-1404-011 | Last reviewed: 12 September 2026
| Seyed Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, a 30-year-old boxing coach from Mashhad, was arrested in February or March 2020 and sentenced to death after three rounds of Revolutionary Court proceedings. The third sentence was upheld in October 2025 and referred for enforcement. His lawyer reported a stay of execution on 22 December 2025, but the sentence has not been quashed and its subsequent status is unclear. |
Key Case Information
| Category | Information |
| Full name | Seyed Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani |
| Date of birth | 1995 or 1996; exact date unknown |
| Age | 30, according to family information; exact birth date unavailable |
| Occupation before arrest | Boxing coach and electrician |
| Family status | Father, mother and brother; marital status unknown |
| Date and place of arrest | February or March 2020; home in Mashhad |
| Charges | Efsad-e fel-arz (corruption on Earth), linked to alleged arson and destruction of premises |
| Court | Branches 4, 2 and 3, Mashhad Revolutionary Court; Branch 9, Supreme Court |
| Judge | Third judgment: Saadi Makan and Yazdan-Khah |
| Lawyer | Babak Paknia |
| Sentence | Confirmed death sentence; a stay was reported on 22 December 2025 |
| Current place of detention | Last reported: Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad |
Human and Personal Background
Vafaei Sani was born in 1995 or 1996 and is from Mashhad. Before his arrest, he coached at boxing clubs and worked as an electrician. According to the information provided, his father and brother are ill. Years of imprisonment and uncertainty over the death sentence have also caused his family profound concern.
Arrest, Trial and Sentencing
Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, a 30-year-old boxing champion and coach at clubs in Mashhad, was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence officers at his home in the city in February or March 2020. According to information supplied for this case, he was subjected to severe physical and psychological pressure and torture in detention, including 65 days in a detention facility reportedly run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Intelligence Organisation. Bail of 30 billion tomans was set for his temporary release pending trial, an amount his family could not afford. He has rejected the allegations against him.
In January 2022, Branch 4 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death on the charge of efsad-e fel-arz (corruption on Earth), in connection with alleged arson and destruction of specified premises, including a building of the Governmental Discretionary Punishments Organisation. According to the case information, the initial judgment imposed two death sentences and ten years’ imprisonment. Although represented by a lawyer, he was reportedly denied an effective opportunity to defend himself. The precise date of the trial hearing and the full text of the judgment are not available in the materials reviewed.
In December 2022, the Supreme Court overturned the first death sentence and referred the case to Branch 2 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court. That branch again sentenced him to death in July 2023. The Supreme Court overturned the second sentence in June 2024 and referred the case to another branch. Despite those two reversals, Branch 3 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court, with judges Saadi Makan and Yazdan-Khah, imposed a third death sentence on 18 September 2024. According to the information supplied, this judgment was formally served on him and he received a written copy. Branch 9 of the Supreme Court upheld it on 4 October 2025.
Statements from Prison or by Family
On 22 December 2025, his lawyer, Babak Paknia, stated: “The Supreme Court has issued an order to stay the execution of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani’s death sentence.” The grounds for that order and subsequent decisions in the case are not clear from the available information.
Government Response and Conduct
Documented judicial steps include renewed death sentences after two Supreme Court reversals, confirmation of the third sentence, rejection of a retrial application, and referral of the case to the enforcement office in Mashhad. The judicial authorities have not made sufficient information publicly available about the basis for the third judgment or the legal effect of the stay. A stay of execution does not quash the death sentence.
International Reactions
In July 2023, a letter signed by 83 human rights organisations and figures urged the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to take immediate action to prevent his execution.
In October 2025, Amnesty International included Vafaei Sani among people at risk of execution following grossly unfair trials and convictions on politically motivated charges, and called for executions to be halted.
In November 2025, international athletes including Martina Navratilova, Riley Gaines, Sharron Davies and Nancy Hogshead called in an open letter for his execution to be prevented.
Current Status and Risk of Execution
The last reported place of detention is Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad. Reports described his transfer to Ward 6A on 6 December 2025 and restrictions on family calls. The rejection of his retrial application and referral of the case for enforcement increased the risk of execution. His lawyer reported a stay on 22 December 2025, but the duration, legal grounds and outcome of that order remain unknown in the available information. His detention location and judicial status have not been independently confirmed as of the last review date.
Human Rights and Fair Trial Analysis
Right to life: The publicly described charges in this case do not allege intentional killing. Executing a death sentence on the basis of the allegations as described raises serious concerns under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which restricts capital punishment to the “most serious crimes”.
Right to a fair trial: The alleged denial of an effective defence, the absence of the full judgment from the available materials and the repeated imposition of death sentences after two reversals warrant independent scrutiny of the proceedings. The mere presence of a lawyer does not establish that he had adequate time and facilities to prepare a defence under Article 14 of the Covenant.
Prohibition of torture: The allegations of physical and psychological pressure in detention require an independent investigation. Any statement obtained through torture or coercion must be excluded from the evidence supporting a conviction.
Conclusion
The stay reported by his lawyer is significant, but the death sentence has not been quashed and the subsequent status of the case remains unclear. Disclosure of the judicial decisions, confirmation of his current status and effective opportunities for the defence are essential to protect his life and rights.
Urgent Appeal
United Nations bodies, governments and international human rights organisations are urged to act to protect Seyed Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani’s rights and prevent his execution.
- Formally disclose his current judicial status and maintain the stay of any step towards execution.
- Quash the death sentence and clarify the status of retrial proceedings.
- Guarantee confidential and effective access to counsel of his choice.
- Publish the judgments, evidence and legal basis for the sentence.
- Conduct an independent investigation into the allegations of torture and denial of an effective defence.
- Ensure any further hearing takes place before an independent court without recourse to the death penalty.
- Guarantee regular family contact and access to necessary medical care.
