Family of Navid Afkari Beaten And Arrested By Iranian Regime

Navid Afkari has had his family subject to crimes against humanity after his murder. The late Iranian born wrestler was executed by the government for speaking out against the Islamic Republic of Iran’s economic policies that are driving the country and it’s citizens into poverty. Afkari, who was executed in September 2020, has become a martyr for the movement that has much of the country in protest against the Iranian government and it’s many controversial policies. News broke this weekend that the regime has continued their persecution of the Afkari family. The brother of Navid, Saeed, tweeted about the family being persecuted and arrested by the regime after speaking out on the murder of their brother.

“Two female officers beat my mother so that her head was hit on the asphalt. 20 people beat Navid, 5 people [beat] Elham and 2 people [beat] my mother, who is a 55-year-old woman. You give meaning to the word filth, you cowards.”

In September 2020, Navid Afkari was executed for protesting the Islamic Republic’s economic policies. His brothers, Vahid and Habib, were also arrested and are still in prison to this day. Vahid has 54 years in prison and Habib has received 27 years.

Saeed said that his family gathered outside of the prison and protested the conditions his brothers were in saying, “Today… my family and some of the relatives gathered in front of Adelabad Prison to protest against my brothers’ 280 days in solitary confinement. Plainclothes officers severely beat my mother, my sister, my father, my aunts and others. They confiscated the cell phones, arrested my sister and one of the women and released them an hour later.”

His father was arrested for protecting another family member during the protest. “My father protected Elham. Some officers took my father away and five female officers in chador jumped on Elham and handcuffed her and dragged her to the ground and took her into the van. Elham’s neck and hands are injured. My mother and my aunts were also severely beaten.”

Last week a movement broke out to boycott the Iranian presidential election spurned by Navid Afkari refusing to vote in 2013. The election was seen as a fraud as the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, selected all of the candidates, creating a faux-democracy.

Saeed Afkari says his sister and mother were released an hour later.

Navid Afkari And The Unfolding Iran Story

The story in Iran continues to flesh out after the murder of Navid Afkari, who has become a martyr for the movement in the country. When Afkari received his two death sentences, UFC President Dana White and US President Donald J. Trump stepped up pleading for the young man’s life. The pleas fell on deaf ears as Afkari was executed early in the morning.

The people of Iran are raising their protests and getting their voices heard about the horrible conditions they are subjugated to by the Islamic Republic of Iran. But the government, as we’ve seen with the most recent arrests, are fine to do as they please to fit their agenda anyway.

There has been no action by the IOC to sanction Iran for it’s wrongdoing and unsportsmanlike conduct in other aspects of the corruption despite cries from citizens, athletes and Olympians alike. The United for Navid organization works tirelessly to get the name of Navid Afkari out there and further their cause for freedom and fairness in Iran.

Iran has a history of mistreating athletes. Below is our complete coverage on the country’s human rights violations.

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Blaine Henry
Your friendly neighborhood fight fan. I watch way too many fights and my wife lets me know it.