Wrestling Champion Sentenced To Execution Despite Alibi Claim
A 18-year-old wrestling champion has been sentenced to execution for murder - even though reports claimed he had an alibi.
Saleh Mohammadi, who won a bronze medal competing for Iran at the 2024 International Saytiev Cup in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, is facing death by hanging following the murder of Farajah Special Unit officer Mohammad Ghasemi Homapour.
As per The Sun, an Iranian court claimed that Mohammadi was part of a group which hurled “Molotov cocktails” at officers during protests in Qom’s Nabutov Square.
Homapour is said to have fallen from his motorcycle and killed as a result of blows from a knife and sword. The court said that the knife which caused the fatal injury belonged to Mohammadi.
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This is despite testimony from national team players, coaches and team-mates that he did not have a knife reportedly being rejected by the court.
Reports also say that the wrestler was not even present and was in fact at his uncle’s house. There is no evidence to suggest he was present, with his face not seen on surveillance cameras at the scene.
"The United States is deeply concerned by reports that 19-year-old wrestling champion Saleh Mohammadi is facing imminent execution," a statement from the official State Department in Farsi wrote on X.
“The regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran is massacring young people and destroying Iran’s future.
“We call on the Iranian regime to halt the execution of Saleh Mohammadi and all those sentenced to death for exercising their fundamental rights.”
Another claim from Iran Human Rights states that a confession given by Mohammadi was done "during interrogation” and while he was under torture and coercion. He has been moved to solitary confinement, the final step before an execution sentence begins.
He is due to be hanged at Qom’s Nabutov Square. According to law, Mohammadi, who was arrested on 15 January, has 20 days to appeal the decision, with hundreds of others also facing death penalty charges relating to the protests which took place.
According to Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) Iranian security forces have killed over7,000 protesters and injured over 11,000 since the protests kicked off in December.
Josh Lawless