Iranian authorities have executed three individuals accused of murdering two police officers during anti-regime protests, with the killings including a public hanging of a teenage champion wrestler in the city of Qom on Thursday.
Details of the Executions
Saleh Mohammadi, a 19-year-old wrestler, was reportedly executed alongside Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi following convictions for the capital offense of 'moharebeh', which translates to 'waging war against God'. According to the judiciary's Mizan Online news agency, the men were involved in the killing of two law enforcement personnel during protests.
Controversial Trials and Allegations
Mohammadi was sentenced to death in February, less than three weeks after his arrest over the murder of a security agent during anti-regime protests on January 8. Amnesty International reported that Mohammadi denied the accusations and claimed his earlier confessions had been extracted under torture, but the court dismissed these claims without investigation.
Ghasemi was accused of participating in the killing alongside Davoudi, who was also charged with murdering another policeman on the same day. Iran Human Rights condemned the executions, stating they followed 'grossly unfair trials, based on confessions extracted under torture and coercion'.
Human Rights Organizations Respond
The Norway-based NGO declared: 'We consider these executions to constitute extrajudicial killings, carried out with the intent of creating terror to suppress political dissent.' The organization noted that Mohammadi had just turned 19 last week, while Davoudi would have celebrated his 22nd birthday this weekend.
Background of the Protests
The executions mark the first official death sentences related to protests that began in late December against rising living costs before evolving into nationwide anti-government demonstrations that peaked on January 8 and 9. Iranian authorities launched a brutal crackdown, claiming the protests had transformed into 'foreign-instigated riots' involving killings and vandalism.
Conflicting Death Toll Figures
Tehran has acknowledged that more than 3,000 people died during the unrest, attributing the violence to 'terrorist acts'. However, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has recorded more than 7,000 killings, warning that the actual toll could be significantly higher.
The executions have drawn international condemnation as human rights groups continue to document alleged abuses during Iran's response to the protest movement that swept the country last year.
