Execution of Young Iranian Wrestler Sparks Outrage Amid International Appeals
Tragic Execution of Saleh Mohammadi
The Iranian judiciary has executed 19-year-old wrestler Saleh Mohammadi, despite widespread international outcry and warnings from the United States. Reports indicate that Mohammadi was put to death on Thursday, following accusations of his involvement in protests against the Iranian government. Authorities claimed he, along with two others, attacked police officers with knives and swords during demonstrations in Qom on January 8. The Iranian government further alleged that these individuals were acting on behalf of Israel and the United States, a common accusation used against dissenters by the Islamic Republic.
Human rights activists, particularly those of Iranian descent, condemned the execution as a public display aimed at deterring ongoing anti-government protests. Nima Far, an Iranian combat athlete and activist, described the act as a political assassination, part of a broader strategy by the regime to intimidate athletes and suppress dissent, referencing previous cases like that of Navid Afkari.
Far criticized international sports organizations, urging them to take a stronger stance against Iran's National Olympic Committee and federations, suggesting that they should threaten immediate suspensions if such executions continued. He emphasized that Iran should be barred from international competitions until it ceases executions of protesters and athletes, releases those imprisoned under dubious circumstances, and stops retaliating against competitors who voice dissent.
Following Mohammadi's execution, the International Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling released statements expressing their concern. Analyst Alizreza Nader called for a boycott of the Iranian regime in international sports, stressing the need for consequences for the government’s actions against young individuals.
Activist Masih Alinejad took to social media to express her sorrow over the execution, highlighting the regime's contradictory stance on halting such actions. She noted that Mohammadi and two other young protesters were executed after what she described as a sham trial, marked by torture, forced confessions, and lack of legal representation.
The U.S. State Department had previously voiced its concerns, urging Iran to stop executing individuals sentenced to death for exercising their fundamental rights. Elite wrestlers, including former world champion Sardar Pashaei, also called for clemency, expressing heartbreak over Mohammadi's fate and emphasizing the brutality of the regime.
According to reports from Iran International, Mohammadi and the others were executed on charges of 'enmity against God' (moharebeh) after being accused of killing police officers during protests. Mohammadi had previously represented Iran in freestyle wrestling and earned a bronze medal at the Saytiyev International Cup in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, in September 2024. The Hengaw human rights organization confirmed that he was executed in Qom Central Prison, documenting his journey as an athlete.