Saleh Mohammadi: Iran Executes Wrestling Champion Amid Crackdown On Protesters

Iran publicly executed 19-year-old wrestling star Saleh Mohammadi earlier today, March 19, alongside two other men arrested during the January anti-government protests, in a move condemned by human rights groups worldwide.

Saleh Mohammadi, a rising athlete from Qom, was accused of killing two police officers during the protest. Iranian state media reported that Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi were publicly executed alongside him. Human rights organisations say the men were denied fair trials and coerced into confessions.

Public execution of 19-year-old wrestling star Saleh Mohammadi by Iranain government on Thursday, March 19.

“His execution was a blatant political murder, part of the Islamic Republic’s pattern of targeting athletes to crush dissent and terrorize society,” said Nima Far, a human rights activist and Iranian combat athlete, speaking to Fox News.

Amnesty International called the executions “shocking” and condemned the fast-tracked proceedings, stating the men were given no “adequate defence” and were forced to make false confessions.

Far compared Mohammadi’s execution to the 2020 killing of champion wrestler Navid Afkari, who was also executed following disputed charges linked to protest activity.

“Iran must be banned from international competitions until it halts executions of protesters and athletes, releases those jailed in sham trials, and ends retaliation against competitors who speak out or defect,” he said.

The executions follow a wave of crackdowns after the January 8-9 protests in Tehran, which saw security forces reportedly kill more than 7,000 demonstrators, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. Concerns are growing that further executions could follow as Iran seeks to quell ongoing dissent.

Gkingmusik  reports that the public execution of Saleh Mohammadi happened amid the ongoing war between Iran and Israel alongside the United States. The tension has spread to the neighbouring Gulf countries.