On Tuesday, May 12, 2026, political prisoners across 56 prisons in Iran launched a renewed hunger strike, marking the 120th consecutive week of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign.
Despite mounting security pressures and severe restrictions imposed by prison authorities, the inmates continue their resistance. The campaign views every strike day as a testament to the collective conscience, breaking the deadly silence to amplify the cry for “life” and human rights to the global community.
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War as a Smokescreen for Executions
The campaign’s latest statement highlights how the Iranian regime has exploited recent external conflicts as a smokescreen to intensify its domestic crackdown.
As the Iranian people pushed for systemic regime change in late March, the state accelerated its execution machine. Under the shadow of war, authorities have executed 23 political and security prisoners since the start of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2026).
Adding to the torment of grieving families, the regime continues to weaponize grief by refusing to hand over the bodies of executed prisoners. This includes six campaign members—Vahid Bani-Amerian, Pouya Ghobadi, Babak Alipour, Akbar (Shahrokh) Daneshvarkar, Mohammad Taghavi, and Abolhassan Montazer—whose bodies remain withheld 40 days after their executions.
Furthermore, security forces arrested Shahrokh Daneshvarkar’s two sisters, Azam and Akram, on April 18, 2026, simply for inquiring about their brother’s body at forensic and judicial offices. The campaign condemned their transfer to an undisclosed location as a blatant instance of enforced disappearance, a long-standing tactic of the regime.
Imminent Threat to Protesters and Minority Inmates
The deadly wave of executions shows no signs of slowing. Last week, authorities in Mashhad’s Vakilabad Prison hanged three political prisoners from the January 2026 uprising: Ebrahim Dolatabadi, Mehdi Rasouli, and Mohammad Reza Miri—an outcome the campaign had urgently warned about on May 5. Additionally, another prisoner, Erfan Shakourzadeh, was executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison on espionage charges.
The campaign issued an urgent plea to save the lives of other political prisoners, particularly recent protesters and Baloch minority inmates.
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Individuals such as Amir-Mohammad Zare and Mohammad-Reza Abdollahpour in Ghezel Hesar, Ali Pishevarzadeh in Lakan (Rasht), and Baluch prisoners Adham Naroui, Farshid Hassan-Zehi, Hossein Shahouzehi, Nasimeh Eslam-Zehi, and Soleiman Shahbakhsh face imminent execution following opaque and grossly unfair trials.
Overcrowding and State Confiscations
Recent reports indicate that at least 100 detained protesters were recently transferred to Ward 37, Unit 3 of Ghezel Hesar Prison. They face severe overcrowding, a lack of basic living necessities, and heavy charges that put their lives at grave risk.
Meanwhile, state media reports that the regime has confiscated the properties of dozens of protesting citizens. The campaign asserts that these desperate measures of terror are futile attempts to prolong the regime’s survival, as the resilience of the Iranian youth proves that the dawn of freedom and equality is closer than ever.
Campaign members reiterated that true justice is not born in execution chambers, but in awakened hearts, education, and fair trials. The “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign stands firmly with the Iranian people until the death penalty is abolished.
On May 12, 2026, inmates in 56 prisons in Iran participated in the hunger strike.
