Iran Executes Champion Wrestler, Two Others Amid Brutal Crackdown, Widespread Repression 

Saleh Mohammadi

Iran Executes Champion Wrestler, Two Others Amid Brutal Crackdown, Widespread Repression 

By Bing Jabadan – TheNATIONWEEK.com | March 23, 2026

TEHRAN, Iran – In a chilling display of state terror, Iran publicly executed 19-year-old champion wrestler Saleh Mohammadi and two other individuals on March 19, 2026. 

These executions are part of a broader, systematic crackdown and widespread repression by the Iranian regime against nationwide protests, which human rights groups report have resulted in at least 43,000 deaths, tens of thousands injured, and countless arrests.

Mohammadi, a rising star in wrestling, was reportedly tortured into confessing to “waging war against God” – a capital crime – and was executed without a fair trial, according to human rights organizations. 

Activists, including Iranian combat athlete Nima Far, condemned his death as a “blatant political murder,” highlighting a pattern of targeting athletes to suppress dissent and instill fear within society. 

Mohammadi, along with Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi, was accused by Iranian state media of killing police officers during January protests, charges disputed by human rights groups, who allege forced confessions and inadequate legal defense in “fast-tracked proceedings.”

The executions underscore the regime’s unyielding response to internal opposition. This crackdown follows mass arrests during January protests, where an estimated 7,000 demonstrators were reportedly riddled with bullets and killed, the full extent of which was obscured by a nationwide internet blackout.

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, have vehemently condemned these actions, asserting that such public hangings are explicitly designed to create “an atmosphere of intimidation and deterrence.”

There are grave fears of further mass executions, particularly for political prisoners and protesters, in the wake of continued unrest and international tensions. 

The timing of these executions, including that of a dual Iranian-Swedish national days prior on espionage charges, further signals the regime’s resolve.

This severe repression also extends to other public figures; Iran’s women’s soccer team faced accusations of being “wartime traitors” for not singing the national anthem, with reports of family threats leading some to abandon asylum bids. 

Iranian American activist Masih Alinejad called upon international athletic organizations to condemn Iran’s actions, emphasizing that the issue transcends sports and is fundamentally about human dignity.

Activists like Nima Far are urging international bodies such as the International Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling to impose sanctions on Iran, demanding a ban from international competitions until the regime halts executions, releases those unjustly jailed, and ceases retaliation against athletes who speak out. 

The tragic execution of Mohammadi echoes the 2020 execution of champion wrestler Navid Afkari, signaling a disturbing continuity in Iran’s use of capital punishment to silence dissent among its athletes and citizens.