Updated on: March 19, 2026 / CBS/AFP
Iran executed three men on Thursday accused of killing police officers during January protests, raising warnings from activists about a possible new wave of hangings as war with Israel and the United States continues.
The hangings, the first tied to the nationwide demonstrations met by a severe government crackdown, included Saleh Mohammadi, a young member of Iran’s national wrestling team, two sources told CBS News. Rights groups say the three men — Mohammadi, Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi — were executed after unfair trials and confessions obtained under torture.
Iran’s judiciary news agency Mizan said the men were hanged in Qom after being convicted of moharebeh, the capital crime of “waging war against God.” Authorities accused them of involvement in the killing of two police officers and of carrying out “operational actions” in favor of Israel and the United States.
A White House spokesperson, Olivia Wales, said in a statement provided to CBS News that “this is the Iranian terrorist regime” and framed the executions as further justification for U.S. actions against Iran’s threat.
Amnesty International and Norway-based Iran Human Rights criticized the proceedings, saying Mohammadi — who reportedly turned 19 last week and had competed internationally — was denied adequate defense and forced into confessions during rapid trials that did not resemble meaningful judicial processes. Iran Human Rights called the death sentences the result of unfair trials and said the use of capital punishment under such conditions amounts to extrajudicial killing. Legal monitor Dadban added the men were deprived of effective access to independent counsel and the right to defense.
The executions followed the government’s hanging of Kouroush Keyvani, a dual Iranian-Swedish national, on spying charges, a case that drew condemnation from Stockholm and the European Union. Rights groups warn that the shadow of war increases the risk of mass executions of protesters and political prisoners.
Protests erupted in Iran in late December over the rising cost of living and escalated into nationwide anti-government demonstrations that peaked on January 8 and 9. Human rights organizations accuse security forces of killing thousands during the crackdown. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has recorded more than 7,000 deaths, the majority protesters, while acknowledging the toll could be higher. Tehran has acknowledged more than 3,000 deaths during the unrest, including security personnel and bystanders, and has blamed “terrorist acts.”
Iran’s hardline judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei has warned there will be “no leniency” for those convicted of violent acts during the protests. Iran Human Rights says hundreds face charges that could lead to the death penalty. Iran is one of the world’s most frequent executors of prisoners after China; Iran Human Rights reported at least 1,500 hangings last year.
Rights groups note Iran executed 13 people on charges related to the 2025 June war with Israel and 12 people on charges linked to the 2022–2023 nationwide protests. Iran Human Rights warned that the recent executions are intended to spread fear, asserting the government sees popular demands for fundamental change as the primary threat to its survival.