Iran Executes 19‑Year‑Old Wrestling Champion in Public Hanging

By Aditya Nagar | March 20, 2026

Iran recently decided to execute three men who were apprehended for their active role in nationwide protests in January.

The decision was announced on Thursday, marking the first confirmed executions linked to the unrest.

19-Year-old Wrestling Champion Among the Ones Executed

Among those facing the death penalty is a 19-year-old national wrestling champion, Saleh Mohammadi.

The other two protestors are identified as Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davvodi.

The reason behind their execution is their participation in a protest against the Khamenei government in January.

During the protest, they had severely wounded two police officers in the city of Qom, located 130 km south of Tehran.

Hanging Remains a Primary Execution Practice In Iran

The execution of young protesters, including a national wrestling champion, took place via hanging, the primary execution method in Iran.

According to the authorities, they had earlier given a warning that those detained and linked to protests could face the death penalty.

Saleh Mohammadi Killed in Public Hanging

Based on reports, the execution of Saleh Mohammadi, the wrestling champion, took place via public hanging.

Earlier, the request was placed by the US State Department, along with Iranian-American wrestlers, to cancel the execution of Mohammadi for his role in a protest against the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei regime.

Hanging Took Place in Qom

As per Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad, after a Sham trial, the hanging of three protesters took place in Qom.

She further added that they faced torture and were coerced into confessions. They were not even given access to choose lawyers. It was closed-door proceedings, with no right to appeal.

People involved in the protests were strongly suppressed, with thousands killed, and many detained.

According to rights groups, they have confirmed that there will be more executions in the future and also stated that detainees are often forcibly made to confess and are denied fair trials.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about this topic

Iran executed three people, including a 19-year-old wrestler, over their alleged role in the January protests.

He was a young wrestling champion named Saleh Mohammadi.

Authorities said they killed police officers during the protests, which they denied.

Human rights groups say the trials were unfair and confessions may have been forced.

The executions have sparked strong international criticism and concern over Iran’s crackdown on protests.