Increased Crackdowns on Athletes Supporting Protests; Security Forces Raid Hossein Mahini's Home

As the anniversary of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini's death in custody approaches, security pressures against prominent athletes supporting protests have intensified. Hossein Mahini's wife, a former captain of the Persepolis football team, noted in a recent statement about her summons to the prosecutor's office that security forces entered their home in her absence, causing fear among their children. Hossein Mahini, a former star of Iranian football, was arrested during nationwide protests for supporting demonstrators and was later released on bail. Anis Mohammadi, the wife of this well-known footballer, mentioned that the accusations against her include 'producing and distributing obscene and vulgar materials through computer and telecommunications systems' and stated that she will file a complaint against those accusing her of 'insult, defamation, and spreading falsehoods and blackening.' After several famous athletes and their families joined the protests, the Islamic Republic has intensified judicial actions against these individuals. Other well-known footballers such as Ali Karimi, Ali Daei, Karim Bagheri, Voria Ghafouri, and Parviz Boroumand have also faced backlash from Iranian authorities after criticizing the suppression of protesters. Last autumn, Ali Daei reported threats against himself and his family on his Instagram posts, and two of his stores were shut down in December. Security forces prevented his wife and child from traveling to Dubai. Another prominent footballer, Ali Karimi, faced angry reactions from Iranian officials after supporting protesters and openly opposing the Islamic Republic. While the former football star resides abroad, his sister, Leila Karimi, was imprisoned in June this year on charges of 'fraud.' Last autumn, government officials also threatened Ali Karimi with the confiscation of part of his property in Iran, including his villa in Lavasan. Voria Ghafouri, a former national team captain, was arrested last December on charges of 'propaganda activity and conspiracy against the regime' and was released on bail after a few days. This Kurdish footballer was denied entry to the stadium during a football derby in June this year while intending to retire from his beloved sport. Although that day, the supportive chants from the audience during the derby indicated his popularity. Voria Ghafouri's farewell note on Instagram received over one million three hundred thousand interactions. Karim Bagheri, a coach for several seasons with the Persepolis football team, who had shown support for Ali Karimi during the protests, recently spoke about the possibility of being banned from working. Currently, Karim Bagheri has been sidelined from coaching Persepolis for the upcoming season. Parviz Boroumand, a former goalkeeper for Esteghlal, was also arrested last autumn and later released on bail. The crackdowns are not limited to footballers; others, including Mohammad Aryankhoo, the former national karate team coach, have reported being summoned to Evin Prosecutor's Office after criticizing the execution of protesting athletes in August this year. In addition to the strict measures against well-known athletes, Iranian officials have also called for harsher penalties for famous and influential individuals in the mandatory hijab bill known as the 'Chastity and Hijab' bill. According to this bill, individuals who are socially prominent due to their social, political, cultural, artistic, or sports activities will face one degree harsher punishment for the crime of unveiling. Some critical legal experts have accused the authors of this bill of ignorance regarding citizens' rights and jurisprudence. Mohsen Barahani, a PhD in criminal law and a graduate of Qom Seminary, called this method of law-making a 'disgrace' in a Twitter message, adding that 'the commission and parliament are also a bad joke.'