Former Iranian Pro Soccer Player Sentenced to Death for Involvement in Protests, per Report

A former Iranian professional soccer player has been sentenced to death for his involvement in the widespread protests that have broken out in the country over the last three months, according to London-based activist outlet IranWire.

Amir Nasr-Azadani, 26, faces the possibility of execution after he was arrested in November for being a member of “an armed group” that was reportedly involved in the death of a police colonel and two volunteer militia members during a protest in the city of Isfahan in Central Iran. The city’s chief justice, Asadullah Jafari, told state news agency IRNA that Nasr-Azadani had been charged with rioting against authorities, according to CNN.

FIFPRO, the international soccer players union, said Monday that it was “shocked and sickened” by the reports about Nasr-Azadani’s current status.

“We stand in solidarity with Amir and call for the immediate removal of his punishment,” FIFPRO said in a statement posted on Twitter.

An Isfahan native, Nasr-Azadani last played for Persian Gulf Pro League team Tractor but has not played in a game professionally since November 2017. He began his professional career with Tehran-based club Rah-Ahan after having been a member of Iran’s under-16 national team.

Widespread protests have lingered in Iran following the Sept. 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested by Iran’s morality police for allegedly not wearing her headscarf properly. As of late November, Human Rights Activists—an organization that has been tracking the demonstrations—reported that at least 450 people have been killed and more than 18,000 have been arrested in conjunction with the protests. 

The Iran men’s national team became the subject of discussion late last month when players chose to not sing along with the country’s national anthem ahead of the team’s opening group match against England in apparent solidarity with those protesting back in Iran. CNN’s Sam Kiley reported that Iran threatened families of players on the World Cup team with “violence and torture” if the players didn’t “behave” for the team’s final group match against the United States.

The squad followed up its noteworthy statement against England by singing along with the anthem for subsequent matches against Wales and the U.S.