As Iran hangs 3 young men, rights groups raise alarm multiple executions could follow
The three are the first to be executed from among tens of thousands arrested during a brutal crackdown on protests in January
A 19-year-old star wrestler and two other young men were hanged in Iran this week, raising alarm among rights groups that a wave of executions may be under way as authorities facing relentless attacks from the US and Israel seek to squelch public dissent.
The three men are the first to be executed from among the tens of thousands who were arrested during a January crackdown on nationwide protests.
Rights groups say more than 100 others could face death sentences.
The wrestler, Saleh Mohammadi, was hanged early on Thursday morning, along with Mehdi Qasemi and Saeed Davoudi, in Qom, just south of the capital, Tehran, according to state media.
They had been sentenced on charges of “moharabeh” or “waging war against God”, for allegedly killing two police officers during protests in the city.
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Amnesty International said the convictions of the three, and of others arrested during the protests, came in “grossly unfair trials” that used confessions extracted by torture.