Iran executed three men in the city of Qom on Thursday, March 19, 2026, marking the first officially announced executions related to nationwide anti-government protests that occurred in January, according to reports from Euronews and Expressen Sport. The executed individuals were identified as Mehdi Ghasemi, Saleh Mohammadi, and Saeed Davoudi. They were convicted of the capital crime of "moharebeh" (waging war against God) under Iran's sharia law, as reported by the judiciary's Mizan news agency.
The men were accused of involvement in the killing of two police officers during the January protests. Rights groups, including Amnesty International and Iran Human Rights, have raised concerns about the fairness of the trial process. According to these organizations, the defendants were denied adequate legal defense and allegedly gave confessions under torture.
Saleh Mohammadi, one of the executed men, was reportedly a 19-year-old wrestling champion who had participated in international competitions. The executions come amid heightened tensions in the region as Iran continues its conflict with Israel and the United States. Human rights organizations have warned of the risk of increased executions of protesters and political prisoners during this period of conflict.