Iran carried out the execution of a 19-year-old wrestler along with two other protesters in a public hanging, according to reports from state media and human rights organisations. The executions reportedly took place in the city of Qom in the presence of a crowd. The wrestler, identified as Saleh Mohammadi, was executed alongside Saeed Davodi and Mehdi Ghasemi. Authorities had accused the three men of being involved in the killing of two police officers during protests held on January 8, 2026.ย
First executions linked to recent protestsย
These are believed to be the first executions directly connected to the recent nationwide protests that began in late December 2025 and continued into early 2026. Activists say the move marks a serious escalation and could signal more harsh actions in the coming days.
Human rights organisations, including Iran Human Rights, have raised serious concerns about how the case was handled.
According to the group, the accused were not given a fair trial and were allegedly forced to confess under pressure. Officials from the organisation described the executions as an attempt to spread fear and silence opposition voices.
Similarly, Amnesty International stated that the legal process was rushed and lacked proper defence for the accused.
Activists call it โpolitical messageโย
Human rights activists have strongly criticised the executions. Nima Far, an Iranian athlete and activist, called the act a โpolitical moveโ aimed at controlling public dissent. He also compared the case to the execution of wrestler Navid Afkari in 2020, which had drawn global condemnation.
Rights groups have warned that more protesters could face similar punishment. Thousands ofย
people were reportedly detained during the recent protests, raising concerns about further death sentences.
There are growing calls from activists for the international community, especially European countries, to take stronger action and put pressure on Iran to stop such executions.