Political prisoners in Iran continue their “No to Executions Tuesdays” hunger strike campaign, now entering its 26th week. The campaign, which began to protest the regime’s rampant use of the death penalty, has gained momentum with prisoners from Urmia, Marivan, Kamyaran, Baneh, and Salmas joining the strike.
In a recent statement, the striking prisoners declared, “The ‘No to Executions Tuesdays’ campaign has reached its 26th week. Despite the transition from the Raisi government to a so-called reformist president, over ten prisoners have been executed in the past week alone, including two political prisoners.” They further condemned the regime’s use of executions as a tool to instill fear and suppress potential uprisings, noting that the government resorts to these tactics as it fails to address the legitimate demands of the people.
The statement highlighted specific cases such as Edris Jamshidzadeh, a Baluch prisoner executed on July 18 in Zahedan Central Prison for allegedly killing a Basij member, and Danial Kazeminejad, executed on July 21 in Kermanshah’s Dizelabad Prison for allegedly killing a Revolutionary Guard member. Both had consistently denied these charges.
#Iranian Political Prisoners Risk Lives to Send Defiant Message from Regime’s Clutcheshttps://t.co/ceJPgdy4Xu
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) May 3, 2024
The hunger strike spans 16 prisons across Iran, including Evin (Women’s Ward, Wards 4, 6, 8), Ghezel Hesar (Units 3, 4), Karaj Central Prison, Khorramabad, Tabriz (Women’s Ward), Ardabil, Qaemshahr, Khoy, Naqadeh, Saqqez, Mashhad, Urmia, Marivan, Kamyaran, Baneh, and Salmas. The prisoners demand the complete abolition of executions and torture in Iran.
Under the oppressive rule of the clerical dictatorship, any dissent, opposing expression, or belief contrary to the regime’s distorted interpretation of Islam is considered a capital offense. Thousands of political prisoners are scattered across the country, often held in undisclosed locations. Over the past 45 years, regardless of the president or his deceptive promises, the regime has consistently maintained its brutal stance against political dissidents. All factions within the regime are unified in their approach to suppressing opposition.
This protest movement, initiated and led by the most resilient and courageous political prisoners, stands in stark defiance of a regime that believes it can crush the Iranian people’s spirit of freedom through executions and torture. By standing firm within the regime’s prisons and torture chambers, these prisoners remind Supreme Leader Khamenei that, like the tens of thousands of their fallen comrades, they may be imprisoned or even killed, but their yearning for freedom will never be extinguished.
Authorities in Ghezel Hesar prison (Karaj) have ordered all contacts with 13 political prisoners to be cut off. These prisoners are denied phone calls and visits from family members.
These political prisoners are:
– Loghman Aminpour
– Saeed Masouri
– Afshin Baimani
– Sepehr… pic.twitter.com/Lh03x6afhh— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) September 26, 2023
