On November 26, 25 prisons across the Iran participated in the forty-fourth week of the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign simultaneously with the 71st condemnation of the clerical regime for human rights violations by the United Nations General Assembly.
The 25 prisons participating in the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign on November 26, were: Evin (women’s ward, wards 4 and 8), Ghezel Hesar (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 Prison (men’s and women’s wards), Ardabil Prison, Tabriz Prison, Urmia Prison, Salmas Prison, Khoy Prison, Naqadeh Prison, Saqqez Prison, Baneh Prison, Marivan Prison, and Kamyaran Prison.
The prisoners participating in the campaign declared in their statement: “The issuance of mass execution sentences is a strategy of the authoritarian regime in Iran to create fear and intimidation.
“While Iranian society faces numerous and severe livelihood problems and the government has reached a deadlock in addressing them, the regime, fearing a repeat of widespread popular uprisings, considers an increase in executions as its only solution. Executions are carried out daily in various prisons, with at least 25 people executed in the past week alone.
“Last month, the government executed over 140 people, leaving hundreds of families in mourning. These sentences are purely political and aimed at instilling fear and oppression in society.”
The statement from the striking prisoners also noted: “In a repressive move, the authoritarian regime recently issued inhumane execution sentences for two Kurdish political prisoners in Urmia Central Prison, Mehran Hassanzadeh, who was arrested during the 2022 protests, and Hamid Abdollahzadeh.”
The striking prisoners stressed in their statement: “For nearly 40 days, we have been completely unaware of the condition of four Arab compatriots sentenced to death in Sheiban Ahvaz Prison (Adnan Ghabishavi, Ali Mojdam, Moein Ghanfari, Mohammadreza Moghadam), and their lives are in serious danger.
“The ‘No to Executions Tuesdays’ campaign, while condemning all executions, the unfair court processes, and the blatant violation of human rights in Iran, issued a serious warning regarding the escalation of executions. It called on all organizations and individuals worldwide, including political, human rights, civil, and labor activists, to intensify their efforts to save the lives of prisoners on death row in Iran. We continue to emphasize collective action and solidarity to halt the killing machine.”
There is growing concerns over the worsening human rights conditions in Iran and the alarming spike in the use of death penalty by the regime. On November 20, the United Nations General Assembly adopted its 71st resolution condemning Iran’s regime for widespread and ongoing human rights violations.
The resolution, adopted by a majority of 77 votes in favor and 28 against, “condemns in the strongest terms the alarming increase in the application of the death penalty,” including the ongoing execution of women—which has reached its highest level since 2013—the execution of minors, and the use of executions as a means of political suppression.
Meanwhile, the regime continues to carry out executions across Iran in hopes of maintain its rule of terror and fear. In the Persian month of Aban (from October 22 to November 20), there were 145 executions recorded, including three women. This marks an increase of 39 victims compared to the same period last year. One of the victims was under 18 at the time of the alleged crime.