Saleh Mohammadi: Teen Wrestler Hanged in Iran’s First Executions Over January Protests

A public execution took place in the city of Qom, where three men were hanged in the presence of a group of people. Among them was Saleh Mohammadi, a young member of Iran’s national wrestling team and a teenage champion who had taken part in international competitions and had only turned 19 last week. The hangings were carried out after convictions for the capital crime of waging war against God, known as moharebeh, related to deadly clashes during nationwide demonstrations that began in late December and peaked on January 8 and 9.

What happened to Saleh Mohammadi?

Saleh Mohammadi was one of three men—along with Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi—who were hanged in Qom after being found guilty of involvement in the killing of two police officers and of carrying out what the judiciary described as “operational actions” in favor of Israel and the United States. These executions were the first Iran has carried out connected to the January demonstrations, a wave of unrest that began over rising costs of living and evolved into nationwide anti-government protests.

For many in the sporting community the news of Mohammadi’s execution was jarring. Brandon Slay, former U. S. Olympic wrestler, said, “It’s so heartbreaking to witness a terror regime execute a teenage wrestler. ” His reaction echoed those of other athletes who described the execution of a young competitor as a brutal and deeply troubling act.

Why do rights groups call the trials unfair?

Human rights organizations have questioned the fairness of the proceedings that led to the death sentences. Amnesty International said Mohammadi was denied “adequate defense and forced to make ‘confessions’… in fast-tracked proceedings that bore no resemblance to a meaningful trial. ” Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights stated the three “had been sentenced to death following an unfair trial, based on confessions obtained under torture. “

Iranian legal affairs monitor Dadban added that the men were “deprived of effective access to independent counsel and the right to defense, ” and under such circumstances the use of the death penalty resembles an “extrajudicial killing. ” Iran Human Rights warned it was “deeply concerned about the risk of mass executions of protesters and political prisoners in the shadow of war, ” framing the hangings within a wider climate of repression.

How have others reacted, and what might this mean going forward?

The executions prompted responses across different spheres. Several Olympians spoke out in public condemnation. Tyler Clary, U. S. Olympic swimmer, said the execution “after what appears to be a sham process—is a brutal reminder of what that regime stands for. ” Eli Bremer, U. S. Olympian, called the killing of a teenage athlete evidence of a deeply depraved leadership.

Authorities had earlier executed another prisoner charged with spying, a step that drew condemnation from foreign capitals and the European Union. That execution was the first public announcement of such a case since strikes attributed to Israel and the United States on February 28 that the judiciary said killed the country’s supreme leader, a development that has been described as triggering a wider regional war. Rights groups link the spike in capital punishments to the unstable security environment and warn the conflict raises the risk of further executions.

Protests that began over economic grievances have been met with a harsh crackdown. Rights groups accuse security forces of killing thousands during the unrest, while authorities have accused foreign adversaries of fomenting the unrest. As the international and domestic pressures converge, activists fear executions may be used to deter dissent rather than deliver transparent justice.

Back in Qom, where the hangings took place, the public nature of the executions left families and communities with a stark image of state power. The words of rights monitors and athletes linger: whether this marks an escalation or a grim continuity remains unanswered, and the fate of dissent in Iran will be measured in whether actions like the execution of Saleh Mohammadi become a pattern or a turning point.