Iran’s regime destroyed grave of executed champion wrestler

The Islamic Republic of Iran continued its violent repression of the executed champion wrestler Navid Afkari, desecrating his grave on Thursday after his brother and father were arrested during a visit to the cemetery.Afkari’s sister Elham posted a photograph of Navid’s ravaged grave, writing on Instagram: “You can threaten, destroy, or arrest, what are you going to do with Navid’s name and memory in people’s hearts?”Iran’s regime, according to Western governments and human rights organizations, imposed an extrajudicial hanging on Afkari in September for his role in protesting regime corruption in 2018.The regime sentenced him to death for an “act of war against God” for his participation in demonstrations against miserable economic conditions in Iran.The clerical regime of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei claimed without evidence Afkari killed a security officer who monitored the protests.The Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday that Navid’s father Hossein Afkari and his brother Hamid were cleaning the area around the wrestler’s grave when they were arrested. They were released later in the day.The destruction of Afkari’s grave electrified social media with a new wave of outrage directed at Tehran’s clerical rulers. “After executing innocent #NavidAfkari, a champion wrestler, and imprisoning his 2 brothers, Islamic Republic of Iran has now desecrated Navid’s grave. He’s not even allowed to rest in peace. How much more should this poor family suffer? The world, hear this family,” tweeted Masih Alinejad, an Iranian journalist who launched the campaign United for Navid.

After executing innocent #NavidAfkari, a champion wrestler, and imprisoning his 2 brothers, Islamic Republic of Iran has now desecrated Navid's grave. He's not even allowed to rest in peace. How much more should this poor family suffer? The world, hear this family#United4Navid pic.twitter.com/MwfTI9Vsnm

— Masih Alinejad ️ (@AlinejadMasih) December 18, 2020

According to the website Iran International, the governor of Sepidan, a county in the Fars province where Afkari is buried, said the authorities destroyed Navid’s grave site because of a wall that was constructed at the site that violated regulations.The governor claimed that the wall was “without following technical engineering standards, and without permission from technical authorities.” Reports said that Navid’s father and brother sought to “prepare his grave for a tombstone when the security forces who identified themselves as Intelligence Ministry agents arrested them” wrote Iran International.For protesting against the worsening economic situation in 2018, Iran’s regime sentenced Navid’s brothers Vahid and Habib to 56 years and six months in prison and 24 years and three months in prison, respectively. Both brothers are also slated to receive 74 lashes.On Friday, Ehsan Sam-Rajabi dedicated his gold medal victory in the combat sport of jiu-jitsu at the world championships in Orlando to Navid.He sported a T-shirt with a picture of Navid on the podium. Sam-Rajabi, who was a former member of Iran’s national judo team, lives in exile in America.“Today I fought for Navid as a member of the United for Navid campaign and won the world title,” he tweeted.

من امروز به عنوان يكى از اعضاى كمپين #اتحاد_برای_نوید امروز براى نويد جنگيدم و قهرمان جهان شدم. راه نويد ادامه داره. نويدها جوانه می‌زنند و رشد می‌کنند تا روز آزادی. ما ورزشکاران راه او را ادامه خواهیم داد pic.twitter.com/jzcLXuP1Px

— Sam Rajabi (@samrajabii) December 18, 2020