Football Legend Ali Karimi, A Critic Of Iranian Government, Put Under Travel Ban: Report

Former Iranian football player Ali Karimi, his wife and her family have been put under a travel ban during the recent anti-government protests, leaked documents acquired by the BBC have shown. The 44-year-old football star, who retired from playing in 2014, has been a longstanding critic of the Iranian government.

In fact, he was one of the first celebrities who came forward to criticise the government over the deadly crackdown on the protests which erupted last year. Notably, the protests were triggered by the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the morality police for not properly covering her hair. Mr Karimi was in Dubai at that time.

A document accessed by BBC Persian stated that Mr Karimi was invited by an Iranian agent and received serious warnings. Iran's Revolutionary Guard's intelligence unit in a letter marked 'top secret' and dated October 24, 2022, informed Tehran's prosecutor that "Karimi's recent activities were instigated by his wife Sahar Davari and her family".

Notably, Sahar Davari's father Gholamali Davari had been executed in the late 1980s on charges of being a member of the Communist Tudeh Party. The documents further claim that Mr Karimi's in-laws, on his behalf wanted to sell his mansion in Lavasan to emigrate permanently. Owing to these, the Revolutionary Guard asked for a travel ban on Mr Karimi and his family. 

This is being done to prevent them from leaving the country, including Mr Karimi and his wife if either of them returned.

Last year, the football star alleged that death threats were made against him, while his family and close friends were intimidated and harassed by the Iranian government, CNN reported.

ممنون از همه هموطنانم که نگران این بنده حقیر هستند،
من و خانواده‌ام از طرق مختلف تهدید شدیم و میشویم ولی نه از طریق تماس مستقیم،
البته من مهم نیستم.
من همچنان عزادار و نگران هموطنانم در جای جای میهن عزیزم هستم و همه هم وغم من آرامش مردم سرزمینم است.#مهسا_امینی #زن_زندگی_آزادی

— ali karimi (@alikarimi_ak8) October 24, 2022

He also told BBC Persian that his older brother was also prosecuted several times and banned from leaving the country.

In addition, the people he follows on Instagram are being kept under close surveillance. Mr Karimi and his family have since moved from the UAE to an undisclosed location. If he returns, the ban would mean he would not be able to leave the country. 

The 44-year-old former captain of Iran's national soccer team, also known as the Asian Maradona in his playing days, made his international debut for Iran in 1998 at the age of 19. He also played for Bayern Munich.

Not just him, another international footballer Hossein Mahini was arrested for supporting the protests. Ali Daei, once the world's top international goalscorer in men's football, had his passport confiscated on returning to Tehran from abroad after bitterly criticising the Islamic Republic on social media.