The Sixty-First Week of the ‘No to Execution Tuesdays’ Campaign: A Nationwide Hunger Strike in Protest Against Executions

The sixty-first week of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign marks a significant escalation in the fight against capital punishment in Iran. Political prisoners from 38 prisons across the country have launched a hunger strike to protest the alarming number of executions carried out in the Iranian year 1403 (March 20, 2024 – March 20, 2025).

According to a statement released by the campaign, over 1,150 prisoners were executed during this period, including 38 women. The victims included 135 Baluch and 104 Kurdish prisoners. Additionally, five political prisoners were executed, and eight individuals were publicly hanged in a manner reminiscent of medieval punishments. Among those executed were seven juveniles, highlighting the regime’s blatant disregard for international human rights standards.

A Call to Action Against the Death Penalty

The members of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign issued a powerful statement urging all human rights organizations, political activists, and concerned individuals to take a stand against executions in Iran.

“We, the members of the ‘No to Execution Tuesdays’ campaign, stand united and resolute against the inhuman sentence of execution. We call upon all parties, organizations, groups, and activists—who care about the right to life and human rights—to take more practical and effective measures against executions. We hope that 1404 will mark the end of repression and executions and the beginning of freedom for Iran.”

The Regime’s Relentless Use of Execution as a Tool of Repression

The report highlights a disturbing reality: approximately 85% of the executions in 1403 occurred under the presidency of Masoud Pezeshkian, demonstrating that different factions within the regime remain equally complicit in the systematic execution of Iranian citizens.

The campaign’s statement condemns the continued use of executions as a method of instilling fear and suppressing dissent. The widespread executions, particularly of ethnic minorities and political prisoners, underscore the regime’s strategy of eliminating opposition through state violence.

Nationwide Hunger Strike Across 38 Prisons

As part of the sixty-first week of the campaign, on Tuesday, Farvardin 5, 1404 (March 25, 2025), political prisoners across 38 detention centers have initiated a hunger strike. Among the participating prisons are:

• Evin Prison (women’s ward, wards 4 and 8)
• Qazalhesar Prison (units 3 and 4)
• Central Karaj Prison
• Greater Tehran Prison
• Chubin Dar Qazvin Prison
• Dastgerd Isfahan Prison
• Shiban Ahvaz Prison
• Adelabad Shiraz Prison
• Urmia Prison
• Saqqez Prison
• Rasht Prison (women’s and men’s wards)
• And many more across the country

This coordinated act of resistance reflects the prisoners’ unwavering determination to oppose capital punishment and demand justice. Their hunger strike serves as both a protest against the ongoing executions and a plea for international attention to Iran’s egregious human rights violations.

The Fight Continues

The “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign has become a crucial movement in the struggle for human rights in Iran. By raising awareness and mobilizing action against executions, the campaign aims to pressure the regime and international bodies to take meaningful steps toward abolishing the death penalty in Iran.

As the sixty-first week unfolds, the campaign remains steadfast in its mission: to put an end to executions and pave the way for a future where justice, freedom, and human rights prevail in Iran.