“No to Execution Tuesdays” Campaign in Iran’s Prisons

On Sunday, January 28, 2024, a group of prisoners sentenced to death at Ghezel Hesar Prison released a poignant statement regarding the troubling rise in executions within their facility. They expressed:

“Thousands of inmates in Ghezel Hesar face death sentences, and many of our cases are pending execution. We could be executed in the days and weeks ahead. Each of us has been denied a fair trial and adequate legal representation. To ensure that our voices are heard, we will begin a hunger strike every Tuesday, starting this week. We chose Tuesday because it is often the day when fellow inmates are transferred to solitary confinement, marking their final moments before execution.”

Their statement highlighted the urgent need for support for all prisoners facing death sentences, regardless of the nature of their charges. They emphasized that every one of them has been unjustly tried, and their right to live is gravely threatened. They called on the public to raise their voices on behalf of the prisoners and their families, believing that public awareness could help halt these impending executions.

The first “No to Execution” Tuesday began on January 30, 2024, coinciding with the execution of four Kurdish political prisoners. In solidarity, ten political prisoners from Ghezel Hesar declared:

“We will continue our hunger strike every Tuesday until this cycle of violence and death is brought to an end.”

This collective action seeks not only to draw attention to their plight but also to urge a movement toward justice and humanity in the face of systemic injustice.

The Participating Prisoners:

Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb
Loghman Aminpour
Maisham Dehbanzadeh
Jafar Ebrahimi
Sepehr Imam Juma
Ahmad Reza Haeri
Reza Mohammad Hosseini
Saeed Masouri
Reza Salmanzadeh
Hamze Sawari

Subsequently, 61 women in the women’s ward of Evin Prison, 20 political prisoners in Evin Prison Ward 6, and several prisoners in Saqqez and Mashhad joined this campaign. Over the following weeks, the movement quickly spread to other prisons.

Campaign Impact

Now entering its 37th week, this campaign has garnered support from hundreds of prisoners in various facilities. To date, inmates from 22 prisons across the country have joined the effort. The campaign aims to raise awareness within domestic and international communities regarding the gross violations of the “right to life” and the widespread executions occurring in Iran.

Prisoners on hunger strike for the past thirty-seven weeks have issued a collective statement each week to clarify their position. Their most recent notification was released on October 8, 2024.

Prisons Participating in the “No to Execution Tuesdays” Campaign

(Listed in order of joining the campaign)

Ghezel Hesar Prison, Units 3 and 4
Evin Prison, Wards 4, 6, 8, and Women’s Ward
Karaj Central Prison
Khorramabad Prison
Mashhad Prison
Saqez Prison
Cash Prison
Khoi Prison
Tabriz Prison for Women
Ardabil Prison
Ghaemshahr Prison
Urmia Prison
Marivan Prison
Kamiyaran Prison
Bane Prison
Salmas Prison
Shiraz Nizam Prison
Lakan Rashtband Prison for Men and Women
Great Tehran Prison
Asadabad Prison, Isfahan
Bam Kerman Prison
Arak Prison

Main Demands of the Striking Prisoners

The “No to Execution” campaign has continued for 37 weeks, with prisoners from various prisons across Iran joining. The main demands raised by these striking prisoners include:

Immediate Halt to Executions: An unconditional stop to the death penalty and prevention of imminent executions.
Attention to Human Rights: A request for the international community, human rights institutions, and governments to address human rights violations in Iran.
Pressure on the Iranian Regime: Emphasizing the need to exert pressure on the regime to stop executions and improve prison conditions and prisoners’ rights.
Support for Families of Prisoners: Requesting aid for the families of executed and sentenced prisoners and stressing social solidarity.
Public Awareness and Participation: Calling for increased public awareness and participation in the campaign against executions.
International Support: Requesting effective action from international organizations, including the United Nations, against human rights violations and executions.
Guaranteeing Human Rights for All: Emphasizing the necessity of a structure that ensures human rights for all Iranian citizens.

Calls Given in This Campaign

Twenty-fifth week, July 16, 2024

With the appointment of Mrs. Mai Sato as the special human rights rapporteur on Iran, it is expected that the demands of this campaign will receive greater attention regarding the “right to life” of Iranian citizens and the inhumane punishment of death by the Islamic Republic. The voices of prisoners under death sentences and their families must be heard by UN officials and other international institutions.

Thirty-third week, September 10, 2024

On this week, prisoners commemorated the sixth anniversary of the execution of three Kurdish individuals—Ramin Hossein Panahi, Luqman Moradi, and Zaniar Moradi—executed in 2017, whose bodies were never returned to their families. This action is part of the government’s ongoing practice of forced disappearances, which has tortured the families of the executed for years. The recent report by Mr. Javed Rahman highlights these issues.

The striking prisoners also demanded a visit from special rapporteur Mrs. Mai Sato to Iran’s prisons, including those of political prisoners and others sentenced to death.

Thirty-fourth week, September 17, 2024

In another call, the striking prisoners highlighted the support of 100 former political prisoners and 150 civil and political activists for the campaign. They urged public institutions and organizations to prioritize the “No to Execution” campaign, advocating for the “right to life” and a future free from repression and execution.

Warnings of Striking Prisoners

The prisoners expressed grave concern over the leader of the Islamic Republic’s remarks about disregarding human rights, calling for serious attention to the violations occurring within the country.

Actions of the Iranian Regime Against the No to Execution Campaign

Sharife Mohammadi’s Case: One of the accusations against labor activist Sharife Mohammadi was distributing the “No to Execution” pamphlet. Support for her is vital to stop the execution machine.
Deportation of Prisoners: Recently, two political prisoners in Khorramabad were moved to solitary confinement for participating in the campaign.
Pressure on Ghezel Hesar Prisoners: Prisoners protesting these executions have faced increased pressure, with reports of transfers to solitary confinement.
Transfer to Solitary Confinement: The prison authorities in Ghezel Hesar moved several prisoners participating in the campaign to solitary confinement.
Silencing Efforts: Despite increasing pressures, such as cutting the phones and meetings of prisoners in the three units of Ghezel Hesar prison, or transferring a number of political prisoners to solitary confinement in some prisons, which was done to silence the voice of “No to Execution” in prisons, we, the prisoners of the “No to Death Tuesdays” campaign, condemn the recent illegal arrests and the continuation of the hostage policy of the Islamic Republic. We also mark this Tuesday, the week of June 18, 2024, as the 21st week against the issuance and execution of non-execution sentences. The executed people will be on hunger strike in Ghezel Hesar prisons (Units 3 and 4), Evin (women’s prisons, 4, 6, 8), Khorram Abad, Central Karaj, Khoi, Naqdeh, Vakil Abad, Mashhad, and Saqqez. (- 21st week, June 18, 2024)
Suppression of Prisoner Protests: The regime has also intensified pressure on prisoners who protested against these inhumane acts, stripping them of their basic rights. A stark example of this repression is the deprivation of female prisoners in Evin prison of their rights to make phone calls and receive visits. Additionally, political prisoner Armita Power was transferred to solitary confinement in Tabriz prison as a direct consequence of her protests. (- 31st week, August 27, 2024)

The Iranian Regime’s Decision to Execute Prisoners (The baghi verdict)

1. With the failure of the election show and the crisis of legitimacy, the government is inclined to increase repression, as evidenced by the inhumane sentences of “Baghi” for at least 15 political prisoners last week. (- 22nd week, June 25, 2024)

2. Institutions of the Islamic Republic have issued indictments for eight political prisoners, including Nasim Gholami Simiari, Hamidreza Sahlabadi, Ehsan Ravazzhian, Amin Sakhnour, Ali Herati Mokhtari, Hossein Mohammad Hosseini, Hossein Ardestani, and Amir Shahvalaiti. In another case, they have issued charges for seven political prisoners, including Vahid Bani Amrian, Pooya Ghobadi, Mohammad Tagvi, Mojtabi Tagvi, Babak Alipour, Abolhasan Montazer, and Asghar Daneshfar. These charges can lead to medieval sentences of death for these citizens and political prisoners. (- 23rd week, July 2, 2024)

3. Three Kurdish political prisoners from Bukan, named Suleiman Adhami, Hossein Khosravi, and Hiva Nouri, were accused in the Urmia court without enjoying their basic rights and a fair trial, facing charges of “Baghi” made by the government. (- 27th week, July 30, 2024)

Domestic and International Support for the “No to Execution Tuesdays” Campaign

Statement by 68 Human Rights Organizations and Institutions in Support of “No to Execution Tuesdays” Campaign

68 international and Iranian human rights organizations and institutions signed a statement declaring their solidarity with the “No to Execution Tuesdays” movement in Iran’s prisons, calling for the international community’s support for this initiative. (August 27, 2024, marking the 31st week)

Some of the signatories of this statement include:

Global Coalition Against the Death Penalty, World Organization Against Torture, International Educational Development Organization, International Federation for Human Rights, Human Rights Defenders Association, Institute for Human Rights, International Lawyers Association, Justice for Iran, Society for the Defense of Human Rights in Iran, Kurdistan Human Rights Society, Abdorrahman Boroumand Foundation for Human Rights in Iran, Balochistan Human Rights Group, Baloch Activists Campaign, Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Committee for the Liberation of Political Prisoners, International Committee Against Executions, Global Campaign No to Executions in Iran.

The protests and support from workers, retirees, nurses, teachers, women, and students continue daily, accompanying and resisting with slogans against execution, prisoners sentenced to death, and the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign. (- 21st week, June 18, 2024)