Situation of prisonners – Stop execution

The 30th week of the hunger strike against executions in Iran

On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, the hunger strike by political prisoners across various Iranian prisons entered its 30th week. This protest, launched in February 2024 under the banner “Tuesdays Against the Death Penalty,” has now spread to 18 prisons across the country, supported by hundreds of prisoners. The primary demand of the campaign is the unconditional ****abolition of the death penalty, regardless of the charges or motives of the convicted, as this punishment is seen as inhumane and irreversible.

The campaign has gained momentum as Iranian judicial and security authorities have executed more than 310 people since the beginning of the year 1403. Among the victims are 16 women, with 118 executions occurring in the month of Mordad alone, marking a drastic rise in recent executions.

The death penalty as a tool of repression

The systematic use of the death penalty by Iran’s theocratic regime appears to be the preferred method for handling any societal crises. These mass executions can be seen as a form of harsh retaliation against the Iranian people, especially against women, who are increasingly viewed as a driving force for change within society.

The 16 women executed over the past five months, alongside violence stemming from state-imposed hijab laws—which in some cases have led to death or severe health issues for girls and women—demonstrate the regime’s violent confrontation with this progressive movement.

It is evident that these executions are not carried out on a large scale but are part of a systematic elimination of individuals, executed in solitary confinement while thousands of other prisoners await their fate in isolation and without protection.

The call for collective action

Prisoners in Evin Prison and Lakan Prison in Rasht have rightfully pointed out that only collective and nationwide actions can stop this machinery of death. The fight against the death penalty is a societal duty that can only be addressed through solidarity and shared efforts.

The “Tuesdays Against the Death Penalty” campaign prisoners have repeatedly emphasized the importance of unity and solidarity, calling on the public to rise up and support this resistance, which began inside the prisons.

Support from across the country

According to reliable sources, political prisoners in several prisons nationwide have joined the hunger strike in its 30th week. These include:

• Evin Prison (Women’s Ward, Sections 4, 6, and 8),
• Ghezel-Hesar Prison (Sections 3 and 4),
• Karaj Central Prison,
• Khorramabad Prison,
• Shiraz Military Prison,
• Mashhad Prison,
• Qaemshahr Prison,
• Lakan Prison in Rasht (Women’s and Men’s Wards),
• Tabriz Prison,
• Ardabil Prison,
• Khoy Prison,
• Naqadeh Prison,
• Urmia Prison,
• Salmas Prison,
• Saqqez Prison,
• Baneh Prison,
• Mariwan Prison, and
• Kamyaran Prison.

The prisoners are calling for public support, especially from inmates in other prisons, and are appealing to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, Ms. Maje Sato, to draw attention to these inhumane practices and tirelessly work to end the executions and the harsh conditions in Iran.