On December 31, 2024, prisoners across Iran marked the 49th week of the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign, a protest movement initiated by political prisoners to oppose the regime’s rampant use of the death penalty. Launched in early 2024, the campaign has grown into a nationwide movement involving weekly hunger strikes and public statements. Its aim is to raise awareness and galvanize both domestic and international opposition to capital punishment in Iran. To date, the movement has expanded to 28 prisons across the country.
A Stand Against Brutality
In their latest statement, the campaign’s participants highlighted the regime’s escalating repression despite growing calls for justice. “As the voices of justice-seekers and activists against executions grow louder, the authoritarian government has intensified its repressive measures,” they wrote. The judiciary’s recent sanctioning of limb amputations for those accused of theft and ‘moharebeh’ (enmity against God) reflects an effort to normalize brutal acts and spread fear in society. Many of these accused individuals, the statement emphasized, are victims of systemic corruption, class inequality, and government embezzlement.
The statement also drew attention to the misogynistic nature of the regime, citing sentences of stoning for women prisoners in Qarchak prison on charges of “illicit relationships.” It noted, “At best, their sentences may be converted to execution. Silence in the face of such atrocities equates to complicity. It is necessary to stand against this savagery and barbarism.”
Alarming Execution Statistics
The prisoners’ statement painted a grim picture of the ongoing crisis. At least 41 individuals were executed in the first 10 days of the Iranian month of Dey (December-January), with 23 executions occurring within a span of three days. Numerous death-row inmates have reportedly been transferred to solitary confinement, awaiting their sentences.
One particularly alarming case is that of political prisoner Mojahed Korkor, who has been incarcerated for over two years. His death sentence was recently reinstated by a Revolutionary Court in Ahvaz after being previously overturned by the Supreme Court, placing his life in imminent danger.
Crackdown on Lawyers Defending Political Prisoners
The statement also highlighted the regime’s targeting of independent lawyers who represent political prisoners and death-row inmates. “The authoritarian regime has been pressuring and threatening honorable lawyers, leading to their imprisonment for merely defending their clients,” the prisoners wrote. They stressed the importance of supporting these courageous legal professionals who stand up against systemic injustice.
Growing Support for the Campaign
Despite the regime’s oppressive measures, the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign has garnered widespread support from activists both inside and outside Iran. “We sincerely thank everyone and believe that opposing executions must mean opposing all forms of capital punishment and supporting every individual sentenced to death,” the statement read.
The campaign condemned the regime’s inhumane actions and called on activists worldwide to combat repression and executions in Iran. They urged Iranian citizens and prisoners to join the movement, emphasizing that solidarity and collective action are crucial to eradicating the death penalty and building a society free from violence.
Participating Prisons
On December 31, prisoners from 28 facilities took part in the campaign, including:
- Evin Prison (women’s ward, wards 4 and 8)
- Ghezel Hesar Prison (units 3 and 4)
- Karaj Central Prison
- Greater Tehran Prison
- Arak Prison
- Khorramabad Prison
- Asadabad Prison in Isfahan
- Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan
- Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz
- Nezam Prison in Shiraz
- Bam Prison
- Kahnuj Prison
- Mashhad Prison
- Qaemshahr Prison
- Lakan Prison in Rasht (men’s and women’s wards)
- Ardabil Prison
- Tabriz Prison
- Urmia Prison
- Salmas Prison
- Khoy Prison
- Naqadeh Prison
- Saqqez Prison
- Baneh Prison
- Marivan Prison
- Kamyaran Prison
- Tabas Prison
- Khorin Prison in Varamin
- Rudsar Prison in Gilan
A Call for Justice
The campaign’s participants concluded with a powerful message: “We must not forget that the instigators and perpetrators of these executions, killings, and repressions are the greatest criminals against humanity. They must answer for their actions before a people’s court. The foundation of many of these crimes lies with oppressive rulers who usurp power and governance for personal gain and oppose freedom and equality.”
Through their unwavering commitment, the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign continues to shed light on the plight of prisoners in Iran and the urgent need to end state-sanctioned violence.
Source: IranNewsUpdate.com