A grim piece of news comes from Iran, where the ayatollah regime has executed by hanging three individuals, including Saleh Mohammadi, a well-known 19-year-old athlete in the country’s national sport, wrestling. According to reports, his execution took place in a prison in the holy city of Qom and was not carried out publicly.
Mohammadi was accused of killing a police officer during mass protests against the regime last November, but the court’s ruling found him guilty of “enmity against God” and acting as a foreign agent. Human rights activists have denounced the trial as lacking legal guarantees, stating that no appeal was allowed and that the charges were obtained through torture.
Nima Far, a human rights activist and Iranian athlete, strongly criticized the execution, calling it “a plan by the Islamic Republic to terrorize society by targeting athletes.” Far emphasized that this is not the first case: in 2020, another well-known wrestler, Navid Afkari, was executed despite international campaigns in his defense.
According to Far, institutions such as the International Olympic Committee and the International Federation of Wrestling should have responded openly, threatening to suspend Iran from international competitions, rather than relying solely on quiet and unsuccessful diplomacy.
In addition to Mohammadi, Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi were also executed, sparking outrage and concern within the international community regarding human rights and the safety of athletes in Iran.
