Iran sentences another athlete to death over January protests
Iranian political prisoner and martial arts champion Benyamin Naqdi who was arrested during January protests in Shiraz has been sentenced to death for spreading “corruption on earth”, his lawyer said.
State media had earlier released a video of Naqdi’s forced confession, identifying him as the young man who used a canister filled with flammable liquid to throw flames at government motorcycle forces in Shiraz.
His lawyer Mostafa Nili told the Emtedad channel that Naqdi was initially issued an indictment on charges including “moharebeh” (waging war against God), membership in groups disrupting security, assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security, and propaganda against the establishment.
Nili added that separate accusations of causing bodily harm to officers and carrying a bladed weapon were dropped, but judges at the Revolutionary Court treated all the remaining charges as “corruption on earth” and issued the death sentence on that basis.
Naqdi is an athlete with several championship titles in kickboxing and Muay Thai.
