Former MMA champion executed in Iran on charges of spying for Israel
Kyiv • UNN
Former MMA champion Gholamreza Hani Shakarab has been executed on charges of spying for Israel. Human rights activists point to a lack of transparency in the trial.
Iran has executed former MMA champion Gholamreza Hani Shakarab, who was accused of spying for Israel—a case human rights activists call opaque and politically motivated. This was reported by the state news agency Tasnim, according to UNN.
Details
Shakarab was born in the city of Ardabil in northwestern Iran, practiced mixed martial arts, and worked as a coach and international referee. According to human rights activists, he lived in Turkey for some time and was detained in 2025 during a trip to Iraq under a special agreement between the countries. Iranian justice accused him of "espionage and cooperation with a hostile state"—referring to Israel and the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad.
Human rights organizations Iran Human Rights and Hengaw sharply criticized the process. They stated that the case was handled opaquely, Shakarab was not given the opportunity to freely choose a lawyer, and confessions may have been obtained under pressure.
The Iranian authorities have not provided public evidence of the espionage allegations. Human rights activists are currently recording an increase in the number of death sentences in Iran in cases involving alleged cooperation with Israel.
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