Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, a political prisoner facing execution in Iran, has been recognised for his courage in opposing political repression, as international pressure mounts to overturn his death sentence.
An Iranian boxing champion who has spent more than six years in prison under the threat of execution has been named the winner of the 2026 Magnitsky Human Rights Award for Outstanding Human Rights Activist.
Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, a boxing coach and national silver medallist from Mashhad, was selected by the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign in recognition of his courage in confronting political repression. The announcement on November 9 comes as his death sentence remains in force, despite repeated legal challenges and international appeals.
BREAKING: Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani wins the 2026 Magnitsky Award: Outstanding Human Rights Activist.
An Iranian martial arts and boxing champion and coach, he is on death row for taking part in anti-government protests and supporting the political opposition.
#MagnitskyAwards https://t.co/BgeBZjdwLV
— Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign (@GMJCampaign) November 9, 2026
The award will be formally presented at a ceremony in London on Thursday, November 12. Bob Blackman, a Conservative MP, chairman of the influential 1922 Committee and chair of the British Committee for Iran Freedom, is scheduled to introduce Vafaei Sani as the recipient.
The organisers describe his case as a “symbol of the persecution of peaceful dissent” in Iran, drawing attention to severe physical and psychological torture, prolonged solitary confinement and repeated threats of execution.
A Boxing Champion Facing the Death Penalty
Vafaei Sani was arrested in early 2020 following his participation in the nationwide anti-government protests of November 2019. Iranian authorities charged him with efsad-fil-arz, or “corruption on earth,” over allegations involving arson, destruction of public property, and membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
His legal ordeal has been marked by an extraordinary sequence of rulings. Iran’s Supreme Court overturned his death sentence twice, citing serious deficiencies in the proceedings. Yet in September 2024, the Mashhad Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death for a third time.
NCRI Statement: Champion Boxer Mohammad Javad Vafaei’s Death Sentence Upheld, Forwarded for Implementation
https://t.co/na8G4AASFc— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) December 16, 2025
On October 4, 2025, the Supreme Court upheld that sentence. His lawyer, Babak Paknia, publicly criticised the decision, pointing to numerous legal flaws and alleged interference in the judicial process.
The situation deteriorated further in December 2025 when his request for a retrial was rejected, and his case was reportedly forwarded for implementation of the sentence. On December 22, Paknia announced that the Supreme Court had ordered a stay of execution.
The order halted the implementation of the sentence but did not overturn his conviction or remove the threat to his life.
International Athletes Rally to Save His Life
Vafaei Sani’s case has generated an unusual wave of solidarity from the international sporting community.
More than 20 prominent athletes, Olympic medallists, coaches and former national team members have supported appeals to prevent his execution. Among them are tennis legend Martina Navratilova, British Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies, former Australian football captain Craig Foster, Olympic swimming champion Nancy Hogshead and former US Olympic cyclist Inga Thompson.
Time is very short for this young sports man please retweet asking @volker_turk to take action, thank you
— Sharron Davies HoL MBE (@sharrond62) July 28, 2023
Former German world boxing champion and Olympic gold medallist Henry Maske has also publicly appealed for his life, joining those who argue that an athlete should not face execution for his political beliefs.
The Sport & Rights Alliance brought the case directly to the International Olympic Committee in December 2025, urging intervention to protect Vafaei Sani. Amnesty International has likewise condemned the unfair judicial proceedings and called for his death sentence to be quashed.
These appeals have kept international attention on the imprisoned boxer, although they have yet to secure his release.
An International Recognition With Wider Significance
Established in 2015, the Magnitsky Human Rights Awards honour individuals who have demonstrated exceptional courage in defending human rights and challenging corruption and abuses of power.
Named after Sergei Magnitsky, the Russian lawyer who died in custody after exposing official corruption, the awards have previously recognised prominent figures including US Senator John McCain, former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa.
Vafaei Sani’s selection places an Iranian political prisoner facing execution alongside internationally recognized advocates of human rights and accountability.
UN must stop the execution of Javad Vafaei Sani. He is a political prisoner and supporter of the democratic opposition MEK. STOP THE EXECUTIONS. OVERTHROW THIS CORRUPT & EVIL REGIME. #Iran #FreeIran2025
— STRUAN STEVENSON (@STRUANSTEVENSON) October 6, 2025
It also brings renewed attention to the treatment of Iranian athletes who have challenged the authorities. Rights organizations have documented several cases in which sportspeople have faced capital charges following anti-government protests, raising concerns about the use of the death penalty against political dissent.
For Vafaei Sani, the international recognition arrives at a particularly uncertain moment. His conviction remains intact, and human rights organizations continue to regard him as a prisoner at risk of execution.
The contrast surrounding Thursday’s ceremony could hardly be sharper: while political figures and human rights defenders gather in London to honour his courage, the man receiving the award remains imprisoned in Mashhad.
The Magnitsky Award cannot overturn a court ruling or guarantee his safety. But it ensures that his case will command renewed international attention at a time when the distinction between a suspended execution and a cancelled death sentence remains a matter of life and death.