Iranian authorities have executed 19-year-old champion wrestler Saleh Mohammadi alongside two other men in the city of Qom. The hangings took place on Thursday morning and were carried out in public, marking the first officially announced executions linked to the nationwide unrest that occurred in early 2026. The move has sparked immediate condemnation from international human rights organisations and the global sporting community.
Allegations of Torture and Flawed Legal Process
Human rights monitors have raised significant concerns regarding the judicial proceedings that led to the death sentences. Mohammadi, who had recently competed in international freestyle wrestling events, was accused of involvement in the deaths of two law enforcement officers during demonstrations on 8 January. Groups including Amnesty International and Iran Human Rights state that the convictions were based on confessions extracted through severe physical torture. Reports indicate that Mohammadi denied the charges in court, asserting that his statements were coerced and that exculpatory evidence was ignored by the judiciary.
Escalation of State Crackdown on Athletes
The execution of a rising sports talent has drawn direct comparisons to the 2020 death of wrestler Navid Afkari. Activists suggest that the Iranian government is deliberately targeting popular athletes to discourage further dissent among the youth. Nima Far, an Iranian human rights advocate and combat athlete, described the event as a political murder intended to spread fear throughout society. The international community has been urged to take diplomatic action, with some calls for global sports bodies to ban Iran from competitions until such executions are halted.
Fears of Imminent Mass Executions
The public nature of these hangings is seen by activists as a signal of a harsher phase in the government response to political opposition. With thousands of people detained during the peak of the protests in January, there is growing anxiety that dozens more could face fast-tracked death sentences. Independent legal monitors have highlighted that many detainees are currently being denied access to counsel, increasing the risk of further extrajudicial killings under the guise of legal retribution.
