Iran has executed three men accused of killing two police officers during anti government protests, in what authorities say marks the first confirmed executions linked to the unrest. Among those put to death was 19 year old wrestler Saleh Mohammadi, alongside Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi, who were hanged publicly in the city of Qom.
According to Amnesty International, Mohammadi was sentenced to death in February, less than three weeks after his arrest, over the alleged killing of a security officer during protests on January 8. He denied the charges, saying his confession was obtained under torture, though the court dismissed the claim without investigation.
Authorities said Ghasemi and Davoudi were involved in the same incident, with Davoudi also accused of killing another officer. The judiciary’s Mizan news agency reported the executions were carried out after the men were convicted of “moharebeh,” meaning waging war against God.
Rights groups strongly condemned the executions. Iran Human Rights described them as “grossly unfair,” alleging the trials relied on coerced confessions and amounted to efforts to instill fear and suppress dissent.
The executions come amid fallout from widespread protests that erupted late last year over rising living costs and evolved into nationwide demonstrations. Authorities described the unrest as foreign backed violence, while rights groups reported thousands of deaths during the crackdown, with sharply differing estimates of the toll.
Detainees have alleged abuse in custody, including harsh conditions and mistreatment. One case cited by activists involved a woman who died shortly after release from detention, with no official cause given, further intensifying scrutiny of the government’s response to the protests.
