Yasin Sarfaraz, a 17-year-old boxer from Bojnord and a member of the Iranian national boxing team who was arrested during the January protests, has been sentenced to three years and three months in prison.
The Committee to Free Political Prisoners reported that the teenage athlete’s case was heard in Branch 4 of the Criminal Court of North Khorasan Province. In a single court session and without access to or the right to choose an attorney, he was sentenced to three years and three months in prison on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security.” The verdict was communicated to him approximately five days ago.
Yasin Sarfaraz is considered a well-known athlete in Iranian boxing and, before his arrest, had won championship titles in national, Asian, and international competitions.
The trial and sentencing of this 17-year-old athlete, particularly in a political case without access to legal counsel of his choosing, has once again heightened concerns over violations of fair trial standards and the rights of juvenile defendants in the Islamic Republic’s judicial system.
Following the January 2026 protests, dozens of athletes, students, and protesting citizens were arrested across various Iranian cities, facing security charges such as “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.” Human rights organizations have repeatedly noted in their reports that many of these cases involve severe violations of due process, including denying defendants access to legal representation of their choosing, holding brief or closed-door hearings, and issuing heavy sentences - issues that raise even greater alarm in cases involving minors.
