Iran has executed a 19-year-old wrestling champion, Saleh Mohammadi, alongside two other protesters in a public hanging that has triggered global condemnation.
Mohammadi, described as a rising talent from Qom, was convicted of the capital offence of “waging war against God” — a charge frequently used by Iranian authorities in protest-related cases. Human rights groups say he was tortured into confessing and denied a fair trial.
Two others, Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi, were executed alongside him after being accused of killing two police officers during January protests.
Iranian state media maintained that the trio carried out the killings using knives and swords. However, rights organisations insist the case was rushed through the courts with serious due process violations.
Amnesty International condemned the executions, saying the defendants were denied proper legal defence and subjected to forced confessions during “fast-tracked proceedings that bore no resemblance to a meaningful trial”.
The executions came despite earlier claims by Donald Trump that Iranian authorities had indicated executions would be halted. Tehran rejected those claims and pushed ahead with the sentences.
Human rights activist Nima Far described the killings as “a blatant political murder” and part of a broader strategy to silence dissent, particularly targeting athletes.
He likened the case to the 2020 execution of Navid Afkari, which sparked international outrage and calls for Iran to face sporting sanctions.
Far urged global bodies such as the International Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling to suspend Iran from competitions until it halts executions linked to protests.
The latest executions underscore growing concerns over Iran’s handling of dissent, particularly amid heightened tensions with the United States and Israel.
