Who is Saleh Mohammadi?: 19-year-old Iranian wrestler, 2 others executed as regime cracks down on protesters

The other two individuals were identified as Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi. This marks the first execution linked to the January unrest.

According to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, the executions were carried out on March 19 in the city of Qom. The agency reported that the three men were sentenced after undergoing legal proceedings and were hanged for their role in the killings of two FARAJA (Law Enforcement Command) officers.

Authorities accused the men of using cold weapons, including swords, knives, and machetes, during the attack that led to the deaths of the officers.

Iran witnessed widespread protests in December, which escalated further in January. The demonstrations were met with a forceful crackdown by authorities.

The Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) also confirmed the executions, stating they were carried out publicly in Qom.

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, Director of IHRNGO, strongly condemned the executions, saying: “The protesters executed today were sentenced to death following grossly unfair trials, based on confessions extracted under torture and coercion. We consider these executions to constitute extrajudicial killings, carried out with the intent of creating terror to suppress political dissent.”

He further warned:“The Islamic Republic is fighting for its survival and knows that the greatest threat to its existence comes from the Iranian people who demand fundamental change. We are facing a very real and imminent risk of mass executions of protesters. The international community must act with urgency.”

He also urged the European Union to use all available diplomatic tools to prevent further executions and protect those at risk.

According to IHRNGO, the three men were charged with “moharebeh” (enmity against God) for allegedly using bladed weapons during unrest, resulting in the killing of a law enforcement officer identified as Mohammad Ghasemi Homapour. They were also accused of acting in coordination with hostile foreign governments, including Israel and the United States, and inciting violence aimed at destabilising national security.

Sources cited by the organisation said Saleh Mohammadi, who was arrested on January 15, was forced to make self-incriminating confessions during the investigation phase, which he later retracted in court. Despite his claims that the confessions were obtained under torture, the court dismissed his allegations and relied on those statements, along with eyewitness accounts, to convict him.

Mehdi Ghasemi was additionally sentenced under both “moharebeh” and “qisas” (retribution in kind) for his alleged involvement in the killing of another police officer at a separate location in Qom on January 8. Further details regarding his case remain unclear.