Iran executes national freestyle wrestler Saleh Mohammadi amid protest-related charges
Iran's judiciary carried out the execution of 19-year-old national freestyle wrestler Saleh Mohammadi on March 19, 2026, in Qom Central Prison, according to reports from opposition media and human rights groups.[1][2] Mohammadi was convicted on charges of "enmity against God" (moharebeh) linked to alleged involvement in protests in Qom on January 8, 2026, where authorities claimed he and two others killed two police officers.[1]
The executions of Mohammadi, Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi were reported by the judiciary-linked Mizan news agency and confirmed by Iran International.[1][2] The U.S. State Department had expressed concern over reports of Mohammadi's impending execution in late January 2026, calling for a halt.[3]
Mohammadi, a member of Iran's national wrestling team, won a bronze medal in the freestyle category at the Saytiyev International Cup in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, in September 2024, as documented by human rights organization Hengaw.[2] Iran is a dominant force in international wrestling, having secured multiple Olympic medals in freestyle and Greco-Roman disciplines; the country claimed 11 wrestling medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics across both styles.[4]
Prior cases include the 2020 execution of wrestler Navid Afkari, convicted over protest involvement despite international appeals from United World Wrestling (UWW) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).[5][6] UWW and IOC issued statements following Afkari's death sentence but did not suspend Iran.
Iranian-American wrestlers, including former world champion Sardar Pashaei, and human rights activists called for sports bodies to impose sanctions on Iran, citing failures in protecting athletes from politically motivated harm.[3] Fox News Digital reported queries sent to IOC and UWW following the execution.
United World Wrestling governs international competition, with Iran competing in events like the 2026 Senior World Championships scheduled for next year in the United States.[7]
Sources
- Iran International: "Iran hangs wrestler and two others accused of killing police in protest," March 19, 2026, https://www.iranintl.com/en/202603193456
- Hengaw Organization for Human Rights (via X): Footage and report on Saleh Mohammadi execution, March 19, 2026, https://hengaw.net/en/news/2026/03/19/saleh-mohammadi-execution
- Fox News Digital: "State Department demands Iran halt execution of 19-year-old wrestling star," late January 2026 (updated March 2026), https://www.foxnews.com/sports/iran-executes-wrestler-saleh-mohammadi
- Olympics.com official stats: Iran wrestling medals at Paris 2024, accessed 2026, https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/paris-2024/medals/wrestling
- United World Wrestling: Statement on Navid Afkari, September 12, 2020, https://uww.org/article/uww-mourns-navid-afkari
- Reuters: "Iran executes wrestler Navid Afkari despite global pleas," September 12, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-protests-execution/iran-executes-wrestler-navid-afkari-despite-global-pleas-idUSKBN2620U8
- United World Wrestling: 2026 Senior World Championships announcement, 2025, https://uww.org/event/senior-world-championships-2026
