Iran Executes Teenage Wrestling Champion and Two Others in First Protest-Related Hangings

Tehran – Iranian authorities have publicly hanged three young men convicted of killing two police officers during nationwide anti-government protests that erupted earlier this year.

NaijaChoice News reports that the executions, the first official ones tied to the January unrest, took place in Qom on Thursday morning after the Supreme Court upheld the death sentences. The men were Saleh Mohammadi, a 19-year-old member of Iran’s national wrestling team, Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi, 21.

State media, including the judiciary’s Mizan News Agency and Tasnim, said the trio was found guilty of the capital offence of “moharebeh” – waging war against God – for separate knife and sword attacks on law enforcement officers in Qom on January 8. Authorities described the acts as part of “foreign-instigated riots.”

Mohammadi, who turned 19 in prison just days before his death, was arrested on January 15 and sentenced less than three weeks later. He denied the charges in court, claiming his confession was extracted under torture, including beatings that fractured his hands. The court dismissed his plea without investigation.

Human rights groups have strongly condemned the hangings. Iran Human Rights, a Norway-based organisation, described the trials as grossly unfair and based on forced confessions, calling the executions “state-sanctioned murder designed to terrorise the population.” Amnesty International echoed the concerns, labelling them extrajudicial killings meant to suppress dissent.

The protests began in late December 2025 over soaring living costs and currency collapse before spreading to more than 180 cities across all 31 provinces. Demonstrators quickly demanded broader political change, posing one of the biggest threats to the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution.

Security forces responded with a brutal crackdown, including a near-total internet blackout. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) puts the death toll at over 7,000, including more than 200 children. Iranian officials have given lower figures and blamed “terrorist acts.”

These executions come amid heightened tensions following recent regional conflicts, with dozens more protesters reportedly facing death sentences. Rights groups warn that fast-tracked trials and torture remain widespread.

In Other news: Nigerians Injured in Iran Injured Attack on UAE

Several Nigerians are among the 141 people injured after Iran unleashed a barrage of ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles on the United Arab Emirates on March 14, 2026.

NaijaChoice News reports that the strikes triggered widespread panic, infrastructural damage and major disruptions across affected areas, with emergency responders rushing to treat victims and secure the sites.

The UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed the incident in a statement, revealing that its air defence systems engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 UAVs launched from Iran during the assault. The ministry added that, since the start of Iranian aggression in the ongoing 2026 conflict, UAE defences have intercepted a total of 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,600 UAVs.