On Tuesday, September 24, 2024, prisoners in 21 facilities across Iran continued their hunger strike for the 35th consecutive week as part of the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign. The protesting prisoners issued a statement condemning the increasing number of executions and urging international action. The hunger strike, which includes both political and non-political inmates, is a direct challenge to Iran’s execution policies, particularly targeting those accused of political crimes and drug-related offenses.
The prisoners’ statement coincides with the visit of Iranian government officials, including Masoud Pezeshkian, to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The strikers appealed to world leaders and human rights organizations to hold the Iranian government accountable for its execution practices. They questioned the legitimacy of Pezeshkian’s representation of the Iranian people, especially in light of the widespread boycott of recent elections.
The statement specifically called out the recent death sentences handed down to four political prisoners: Mehdi Hassani, Behrouz Ehsani, Mohammad Javad Vafaie Sani, and Hatem Ozdemir. The prisoners condemned the unjust trials and lack of fair legal processes for these individuals, as well as for others facing execution. They emphasized that these sentences are part of the regime’s broader strategy to suppress dissent and maintain control through fear and violence.
In addition to protesting executions, the hunger strikers expressed solidarity with the victims of a mining disaster in Tabas on Sunday, September 22, 2024, which resulted in the deaths of 52 miners and left several others injured. The prisoners highlighted the unsafe working conditions that led to the tragedy, attributing it to government corruption and structural inefficiency. They noted that such incidents are not isolated but rather symptomatic of the regime’s broader neglect of workers’ rights and safety.
The striking prisoners also took the opportunity to raise awareness about the millions of Iranian children unable to attend school due to poverty. Many of these children are forced into child labor, a situation exacerbated by the government’s failure to provide adequate support to low-income families. The strikers commemorated the memory of students and teachers who lost their lives during the 2022 protests following the death of Mahsa Amini.
The “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign has spread across multiple prisons, including Tehran’s Evin Prison, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, Great Tehran Penitentiary, and facilities in other cities such as Mashhad, Tabriz, and Urmia. Political prisoners and inmates sentenced to death for non-political crimes, such as drug-related offenses, are united in their call for the abolition of the death penalty. The prisoners argue that many of those sentenced to death are victims of systemic poverty, having been forced into crime at a young age due to a lack of education and opportunities.
The prisoners’ statement emphasized that the death penalty disproportionately affects marginalized communities, particularly those who dropped out of school due to financial hardship. They accused the Iranian regime of creating the very conditions that lead to crime, and then using execution as a tool to further victimize the poor and vulnerable.
In the past week alone, two political prisoners, Mehdi Hassani and Behrouz Ehsani, were sentenced to death after being arrested during the 2022 protests. Their trials were conducted in secret, without due process. Two other political prisoners, Mohammad Javad Vafaie Sani and Hatem Ozdemir, who have been imprisoned since 2019, had their death sentences reinstated after previous rulings were overturned multiple times.
The hunger strikers and supporters of the “No to Executions Wednesdays” campaign are calling on the international community to pressure the Iranian government to halt all executions and respect the fundamental right to life. They specifically asked for global scrutiny of the Iranian delegation attending the United Nations General Assembly, urging world leaders to question Iran’s widespread use of capital punishment and its disregard for human rights.
In their statement, the prisoners posed a crucial question: “How can Pezeshkian, with no mandate from the people and amid an election boycott, claim to represent the Iranian nation?”
The campaign continues to gain momentum, with hunger strikes reported in 21 prisons across Iran. As the hunger strike enters its 35th week, the prisoners remain resolute in their demands for justice and an end to the death penalty.
