On Tuesday, June 16, 2026, inmates across 56 Iranian prisons went on a hunger strike to mark the 125th week of the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign. The strike coincides with a sharp increase in executions following the massive nationwide uprisings of December 2025 to January 2026.
According to a statement issued by the striking prisoners, the regime has hanged more than 177 individuals since late March 2026. The prisoners characterized this surge in capital punishment as “a desperate attempt to contain the explosion of anger of the people who are fed up with oppression and high prices.”
The statement highlighted the imminent danger facing political prisoners and recent uprising detainees. Authorities recently transferred political prisoners Ali Fattah and Mohammad Naghizadeh to solitary confinement in Ghezel Hesar Prison after the Supreme Court upheld their death sentences. Similarly, Ali Kamali and Peyman Ganji were transferred to Ghezel Hesar from Greater Tehran Prison. Ganji, a 23-year-old arrested during the December 2025–January 2026 uprisings, was sentenced to death by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.
The prisoners noted that Ghezel Hesar acts as the primary center for executions in Tehran province, describing the facility as “one of the state slaughterhouses.”
The campaign also noted international reactions to the wave of killings. Amnesty International recently issued a demand to halt the executions, warning specifically of the imminent risk to the lives of five political prisoners: Alireza Mardasi, Massoud Jamei, Reza Abdali, Farshad Etemadifar, and Hassan Maslavi.
Appealing to human rights activists and the global community, the prisoners urged unified action to stop the executions.
“Achieving freedom, equality, and preserving human dignity is impossible without realizing the human right to life,” the striking inmates declared. “We call on all opponents of the death penalty for solidarity and united action to break the authoritarian structure and the cycle of depriving human life.”
The prisoners participating in the 125th week of the hunger strike are located in 56 facilities, including Evin Prison (men’s and women’s wards), Ghezel Hesar (units 2, 3, and 4), Karaj Central, Fardis Karaj, Greater Tehran, Qarchak, Khorin Varamin, Chobindar Qazvin, Ahar, Arak, Langarud Qom, Khorramabad, Borujerd, Yasuj, Asadabad Isfahan, Dastgerd Isfahan, Sheiban Ahvaz, Sepidar Ahvaz, Nezam Shiraz, Adelabad Shiraz, Firuzabad Fars, Dehdasht, Zahedan, Borazjan, Ramhormoz, Behbahan, Bam, Yazd, Kahnuj, Tabas, Birjand Central, Mashhad, Gorgan, Sabzevar, Gonbad-e Kavus, Qaemshahr, Rasht, Rudsar, Haviq Talesh, Ezbaram Lahijan, Dizel Abad Kermanshah, Ardabil, Tabriz, Urmia, Salmas, Khoy, Naqadeh, Miandoab, Mahabad, Bukan, Saqqez, Baneh, Marivan, Sanandaj, Kamyaran, and Ilam Prison.