Iran has executed three men accused of killing police officers during anti-government protests in January, state media says, marking the first hangings related to the demonstrations. Among the executed was 17-year-old Saleh Mohammadi, a member of Iran's national wrestling team, according to CBS sources.
The executions occurred Thursday morning in the northern Qom province after the Supreme Court upheld their death sentences, as reported by Iran's Tasnim news agency. The nationwide protests, which began in December and escalated in January, were met with a violent crackdown by the Iranian authorities, with reports of thousands killed.
Tasnim reported that Mohammadi, along with Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi, was convicted of deadly attacks on police officers and charged with 'moharebeh', or waging war against God, a common charge used to justify death sentences for opponents of the Islamic Republic. Human rights organizations claim the accused confessed under torture and were executed without a fair trial.
This event follows another execution where a dual Iranian-Swedish national, Kouroush Keyvani, was hanged for alleged spying, stirring further outrage. The protests, ignited by economic desperation and corruption, have expanded demands for political reform, posing one of the most significant challenges to Iran's clerical leadership since the 1979 revolution.
The brutal crackdown has reportedly resulted in roughly 7,000 deaths, with thousands arrested, including many under 18 years old. Despite the regime's oppressive measures, protests have persisted, signaling deep-seated unrest within Iranian society.
