A national goalkeeper, imprisoned for speaking his conscience.

Mohammad Rashid Mazaheri defended Iran's goal for more than a decade. He was part of the national squad at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and kept goal for some of the country's most storied clubs such as Esteghlal, Sepahan, Zob Ahan, Foolad, and Tractor. In 2016, fans across the continent named him among the nominees for Best Goalkeeper of the AFC Champions League. To millions of Iranians, he was a source of pride.

Today, he sits in confinement.

In February 2026, Mazaheri published a single Instagram post that called Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, "only a dark and passing chapter" in the nation's history. He was later detained on fabricated charges and is now being held in captivity, in harsh conditions, in Urmia — cut off from the outside world and those who love him. His wife, Maryam Abdollahi, and his two children have been left without contact. "Rashid always stood up for what he believed was right," Maryam wrote, "and now he is paying the price for that courage."

In the regime's own charge sheet, the case against him rests on three counts: "propaganda against the regime in wartime," and two other baseless allegations. A man is prosecuted for "propaganda" for telling the truth as he saw it. This is not the first time Rashid has been punished for his conscience. He was summoned and suspended by Iran's football authorities for speaking out during the 2019 protests. He was targeted again after publicly condemning the death sentence given to wrestling champion Navid Afkari, who was executed in 2020 on charges his family and international observers called baseless, built on a confession he said was extracted under torture. Rashid was punished again for supporting the 2021 water protests. The pattern is unmistakable. His only true offense is a refusal to stay silent.

He is a husband. He is a father. He is a man who lent his voice to his people, and is being punished for it. 

We, the undersigned, demand that the Islamic Republic of Iran:

• Immediately and unconditionally release Rashid Mazaheri.
• Drop all charges connected to his peaceful expression of opinion.
• Grant him immediate access to his family and to an independent lawyer of his own choosing.
• Guarantee his physical and psychological safety for as long as he remains in custody.

We call on the international community, including FIFPRO, the World Players Association, FIFA, the AFC, the United Nations, and every government that claims to value human rights, to:

• Publicly condemn the detention of Rashid Mazaheri.
• Apply sustained diplomatic and sporting pressure on Tehran until he is freed.
• Suspend Iran's participation in international competition, including the FIFA World Cup, if its government continues to persecute athletes for exercising their right to free expression.
  
  

Rashid Mazaheri spent his career defending Iran. Now Islamic Republic is punishing him for defending Iranian people.

The world cannot stay silent. Add your name.