Philippe DEVILLIERS

State media reported the executions of protesters Saleh Mohammadi, Saeed Davodi and Mehdi Ghasemi who were accused of participating in the murders of two policemen during protests in Qom on 8 January 2026. The executions were carried out “in the presence of a group of people in Qom.” The three protesters are the first to be hanged in relation to the December 2025/January 2026 nationwide protests. Condemning the executions in the strongest terms, IHRNGO warns about the danger of the mass execution of protesters and political prisoners in the coming weeks. IHRNGO Director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said: “The protesters executed today were sentenced to death following grossly unfair trials, based on confessions extracted under torture and coercion. We consider these executions to constitute extrajudicial killings, carried out with the intent of creating terror to suppress political dissent. The Islamic Republic is fighting for its survival and knows that the greatest threat to its existence comes from the Iranian people who demand fundamental change.” He added: “We are facing a very real and imminent risk of mass executions of protesters. The international community must act with urgency. The European Union, in particular, has an important role to play and should use all available diplomatic tools to help prevent further executions and protect the lives of those at risk.” #NoDeathPenalty iranhr.net/en/articles/8656/