Iranian authorities conducted public executions in Qom province on Thursday, marking the initial confirmed cases connected to the large-scale anti-government demonstrations that erupted in January.
The three individuals, convicted in relation to the reported deaths of two police officers amid the unrest, had their death sentences upheld by the Supreme Court.
State-affiliated media outlets described the charges as involving severe offenses under Iranian law, including “waging war against God” (moharebeh).
Among those executed was 19-year-old Saleh Mohammadi, a promising athlete who had represented Iran’s national freestyle wrestling team and earned a bronze medal at an international tournament in Russia in 2024.
He was put to death alongside Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi. Human rights monitors have expressed deep alarm over the trial processes, citing reports of coerced confessions, limited access to legal counsel, and expedited proceedings that fell short of international fair trial standards.
The hangings have intensified global scrutiny of Iran’s handling of the January protests, which triggered a forceful security response leading to widespread detentions and reported fatalities.
Advocacy groups caution that numerous other detainees from the same wave of demonstrations remain at serious risk of capital punishment, underscoring persistent issues related to freedom of expression and the application of judicial penalties in the country.
