He was 19 years old. A champion wrestler. A young man with a future ahead of him. A son. A human being made in the image of God. His name was Saleh Mohammadi, and the world needs to say his name.
The Iranian regime recently defied international pleas to halt the execution of Saleh Mohammadi, a 19-year-old wrestling champion who was publicly hanged in Qom. Human rights organizations, including the U.S. State Department, had warned against this barbaric act, which was widely condemned as an attempt to suppress ongoing anti-government protests. Mohammadi was accused of participating in protests and charged with “enmity against God” (moharebeh), a charge often used by the regime to justify executions of political dissidents. Reports indicate that his trial was a sham, marred by allegations of torture, forced confessions, and denial of legal representation.
Human rights activist and Iranian wrestling expert Nima Far described Mohammadi’s execution as a “blatant political murder,” highlighting a disturbing pattern by the Iranian regime of targeting athletes to crush dissent. Far referenced the case of Navid Afkari, another wrestler who was executed in 2020 despite global outcry. These executions are not isolated incidents; they are part of a broader campaign to intimidate and silence those who dare to speak out against oppression.
The international response to Mohammadi’s execution has been swift and significant. Iranian-American journalist and activist Masih Alinejad stated, “Today, in Iran, the regime executed a 19-year-old national wrestling champion for the crime of joining protests. This is not just about sports. This is about human dignity.” Alinejad revealed that Mohammadi, along with two other protesters, Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi, were executed after closed-door trials that lacked due process. She called on global organizations to stand with Iranian athletes who are being silenced, imprisoned, and executed.
Elite Iranian-American wrestlers, including Sardar Pashaei, a former world champion, have urged the international community to take a stronger stance against Iran’s regime. Pashaei expressed heartbreak over Mohammadi’s death and criticized the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and other global sports bodies for failing to protect athletes. “This regime is built on executions, fear, and hatred. It does not change,” he said. Other activists have called for a boycott of Iran in international sports, demanding accountability for the regime’s systematic targeting of athletes and protesters.
As people of faith, we cannot read this story and simply move on. Scripture calls us to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, to defend the oppressed, and to seek justice. Proverbs 31:8-9 commands, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Isaiah 1:17 reminds us to “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.” These are not optional instructions; they are the very heartbeat of what it means to follow God.
Saleh Mohammadi was not a statistic. He was a young man with a future, a rising star in the wrestling world, and a human being made in the image of God. When that image is destroyed publicly, as a tool of intimidation and fear, God grieves—and so should we.
So what do we do? We start by saying his name. Saleh Mohammadi. We pray intentionally for his family, for the protesters still at risk, for the leaders and organizations with the power to act, and for justice to move. We refuse to normalize this tragedy, even when the news cycle moves on. We support those doing the work, like Iran Human Rights NGO, who are documenting these violations and advocating for change. And we hold onto hope—not naively, but faithfully—knowing that history shows us oppression does not have the final word.
When the news is this heavy, it’s easy to feel helpless, to wonder what one person or one prayer could possibly do. But silence is never neutral. When we speak, when we pray, when we say the names of those the world would rather forget, we join in the work of justice. Saleh Mohammadi was 19 years old. He was a champion. He was made in the image of God. His name deserves to be remembered. Say his name. Pray for his family. Refuse to look away.ok away.