Executed wrestling champion Navid Afkari said he was in “good spirits” in a phone call with a family member on the night before his execution.
The 27-year-old protester said that he and his two brothers, Vahid and Habib, were examined by the forensics organization for signs of torture. He also said that he was told that they would be taken to Tehran on Saturday morning. However, the young protester was hastily hanged on Saturday morning September 12 and was buried that night under strict security measures.
Transcript of phone call
Family member: Hello
Navid: Hi How are you?
Family member: Are you hurt?
Navid: Where are you?
Family member: Are you hurt?
Navid: They said they’ll take all 3 of us to Tehran tomorrow morning. Have they called from home?
Family member: They’ve called home. Are you in Ebrat Section?
Navid: No, we’re underground
Family member: Underground. Did the forensics only examine you? Are Vahid and Habib hurt?
Navid: They examined all three of us.
Family member: They said on the news that you were only examined.
Navid: No, they came from the forensics along with Mr. Mousavi, the Chief Justice (of Fars Province) and a few doctors. They examined all three of us.
They took pictures and wrote down all the areas with injuries.
Family member: But they said on the news that you weren’t injured.
Navid: What I’m telling you is the truth.
Family member: That’s right. Okay.
Navid: About 10-15 areas (on our bodies) were injured and they wrote it all down.
Family member: Okay.
Navid: Now they said they’re going to transfer us to Tehran we don’t know where. That’s what they told us.
Family member: Do you know the names of the people who beat you?
Navid: Yeah we know the names.
Family member: Can you tell me their names?
Navid: Khadem al-Hosseini, the head of the prison guard.
Family member: Him, personally? Who else?
Navid: A few soldiers whose names I don’t know. I have to see them to recognize them.
Family member: okay
Navid: I can’t talk for long on the phone.
Family member: You can count on everyone.
Navid: Of course. I know it.
Family member: Don’t doubt that everyone has your back.
Navid: I don’t doubt it. Well, are you going to Shiraz (SW Iran).
Family member: I’m going to Shiraz as well. I’m following things up. I’ll be in Tehran and Shiraz.
Navid: Okay.
Family member: Don’t worry about anything.
Navid: We’re not worried at all. Well, is there anything else?
Family member: Tell me anything else you want me to know.
Navid: God willing everything will turn out okay.
Family member: Yeah everything will be okay.
Navid: We’ll see what happens tomorrow and where they take us and how things turn out.
Family member: Everything will be okay.
Navid: Don’t worry at all about my spirit (emotional state).
Family member: I’m not worried about that. About any of you three.
Navid: Okay. I feel at ease now. Anything else?
Family member: (I love you.)
Navid: (I love you) bye.
Family member: (Love you) bye.
