Iran Executes Three Men, Including Teenage Wrestler, in First Post-Protest Hangings Iran executed three men on Thursday, including a 19-year-old wrestler, in the first hangings linked to the nationwide protests that erupted in late December 2025. The trio, accused of killing police officers during the demonstrations, were convicted of waging war against God under Iran’s sharia law. The executions took place in Qom, south of Tehran, following a trial that rights groups condemned as unfair. The men—Mehdi Ghasemi, Saleh Mohammadi, and Saeed Davoudi—were found guilty of involvement in the deaths of two police officers and supporting Israel and the United States. Amnesty International and Iran Human Rights (IHR) highlighted that Mohammadi, a teenage wrestling champion who had competed internationally, was denied proper legal representation and forced to confess under torture. IHR stated the three were sentenced to death after "unfair trials" that lacked due process. The executions occurred amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, following strikes on Iran by the U.S. and Israel on February 28. Activists warned of a potential surge in mass executions as the conflict in the Middle East intensifies. IHR emphasized that the killings are intended to instill fear, as the Islamic Republic faces internal pressure for reform. Iran’s hardline judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, vowed "no leniency" for those involved in violent protests. Tehran has acknowledged over 3,000 deaths during the unrest, including security forces and civilians, blaming the violence on "terrorist acts." However, rights groups like HRANA estimate the toll could be much higher, with over 7,000 killings recorded, most of them protesters.#iran #qom #mehdi_ghasemi #saleh_mohammadi #saeed_davoudi
