US President Donald Trump on Thursday called on Iran not to execute a young man sentenced to death for, according to Tehran, the murder of an official during
"riots"
in 2018. According to Mizan Online, the official news agency the Judicial Authority, Navid Afkari, presented as a former wrestler, was found guilty of
"intentional homicide"
on an official of the public water authority in Shiraz (south), stabbed on August 2, 2018.
Read also: Iran: man sentenced to death for murder during unrest
Like several other cities in Iran, Shiraz had been the scene that day of hostile demonstrations against power and denouncing the economic and social situation of the country.
"I learn that Iran is preparing to execute a major star in the struggle, Navid Afkari, 27, who has only participated in an anti-government demonstration
,
"
reacted the US president on Twitter.
“To the Iranian leadership, I would really appreciate it if you would spare the life of this young man and not execute him.
Thank you! ”
He added.
Support for the accused also flourished on social networks, with the
hashtag “Do not execute our Navid”,
especially after the publication of information abroad claiming that Navid Afkari had been convicted on the basis of confession extracted under torture.
With at least 251 executions in 2019, Iran is, after China, the country in the world that uses the death penalty the most, according to the latest global report on the death penalty published by Amnesty International.
The human rights organization nevertheless notes that
"the number of recorded executions"
in Iran
"has halved"
compared to 2018.
