The United States on Friday expressed solidarity with Iranian people, saying in a message marking the fifth anniversary of Tehran's execution of wrestler Navid Afkari that Washington backed their struggle for freedom.
"Five years ago today, the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran executed Navid Afkari after years of torture and a sham trial," the State Department said in a post on its Persian X account.
The State Department said Navid Afkari’s case "reflects a broader pattern of systematic impunity for torture, forced confessions, and executions carried out without due process in Iran’s judiciary."
Afkari was arrested in 2018 and later sentenced to death for killing government employee Hassan Torkaman during antigovernment protests in Shiraz.
Before being executed in 2020, Afkari sent several audio messages from prison in which he said he had confessed to the murder only under physical and psychological duress.
"Through sham judicial procedures, this regime seeks to create the illusion of justice while denying fairness, fair trial, and accountability," the State Department said in its post on X.
"The United States condemns these actions and reaffirms its unwavering support for the Iranian people in their pursuit of justice, freedom, and human dignity."
At the height of Iran’s 2022 protests against the Islamic Republic, Donald Trump praised the demonstrations by the Iranian people.
“The people of Iran are bravely protesting against their corrupted and brutal regime, courageously facing down violence, persecution, jail, torture, and even death... we are with you and we will always be with you.”
