Political Prisoner´s Campaign Against Death Penalty: “No to execution Tuesdays Campaign”

Political prisoners in Ghezelhessar prison, located outside of Karja city, launched a campaign against death penalty. They declared they would go on hunger strike every Tuesdays in protest to death penalty. The campaign was launched on Tuesday, 30 January 2024. The campaign gained traction gradually as prisoners from other prisons of the county joined the campaign.

Each week, more prisoners across Iranian prisons have joined the cam and hunger strike. By Tuesday, 17 Day 1403 (7 January 2025), the “No to Executions Tuesdays campaign” announced two more prisons; “Sepidar Ahwaz” and “Ramhormouz” have joined the campaign and from this day, the number of prisons that have joined the campaign reached thirty.

The Tuesday’s campaign has succeeded in drawing the attention of the people of Iran and international institutions towards the executions in Iran. Throughout its 45 years in power, the Islamic Regime has used capital punishment as a tool to establish fear in the society, to suppress people, and to take revenge on its protesters and opponents.

Opposition to the death penalty has increasingly become a social issue in Iran, especially after the regime executed eight young individuals, in order to suppress the movement of “Women, Life, Freedom” movement. This campaign has extended beyond political prisoners to include the families of ordinary prisoners. Families have repeatedly staged protests in front of the regime´s institutions, including the Islamic Parliament, calling for the abolition of the death penalty, by chanting “Don’t execute!” Similar protests have been carried out consecutively in Tehran and in Karaj, especially in front of Ghezelhessar prison, where “Tuesday´s started.

Prisons included in the Tuesday’s campaign are as follows:

  Evin Prison (Women’s Ward, Wards 4 and 8)

  Ghezel Hesar Prison (Units 2 and 4)

  Karaj Central Prison

  Greater Tehran Central Prison

  Khorin Prison (Varamin)

  Arak Prison

  Khorramabad Prison

  Asadabad Prison (Esfahan)

  Dastgerd Prison (Esfahan)

  Sheiban Prison (Ahvaz)

  Shiraz Military Prison

  Bam Prison

  Kahnuj Prison

  Tabas Prison

  Mashhad Prison

  Qaemshahr Prison

  Rasht Prison (Men’s and Women’s Wards)

  Rudsar Prison

  Ardabil Prison

  Tabriz Prison

  Urmia Prison

  Salmas Prison

  Khoy Prison

  Naqadeh Prison

  Saqqez Prison

  Baneh Prison

  Marivan Prison

  Kamyaran Prison

  Sepidar Prison (Ahvaz)

  Ramhormoz Prison