In the 119th week of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign, political prisoners in 56 prisons across Iran once again launched a hunger strike on Tuesday, May 5, despite security pressure and extensive restrictions. This protest action took place while prison authorities in recent weeks have attempted to prevent prisoners from participating in the campaign through threats, pressure, and additional restrictions.
According to published reports, prison authorities have used measures such as threats of transfer to solitary confinement, cutting phone calls, denying visitation rights, and intensifying prison restrictions in an attempt to stop the hunger strike. Nevertheless, political prisoners, despite ongoing pressure, have emphasized continuing their protest the death penalty and repressive prison policies.
Political prisoners participating in the campaign also issued a statement this week regarding the hunger strike.
The full statement of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign is as follows:
The increase in executions is the result of the judiciary surrendering to the Ministry of Intelligence, the IRGC Intelligence Organization, and the country’s Intelligence Coordination Council.
Continuation of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign in its 119th week in 56 different prisons
The dictatorship ruling Iran last week brutally executed 21-year-old political prisoner and karate champion Sasan Azadvar, along with three other prisoners from the January 2026 uprising in Mashhad named Mehdi Rasouli, Mohammadreza Miri, Ebrahim Dolatabadi, and Mehrab Abdollahzadeh, a prisoner from the 2022 uprising, in Urmia. The regime also hanged two Kurdish prisoners, Nasser Bakrzadeh and Yaghoub Karimpour, on espionage charges. The execution of prisoners is not limited to political prisoners, and during the past week executions of prisoners facing other charges also increased.
Many prisoners and detainees from recent protests remain at risk of execution, especially prisoners such as Erfan Amiri, Matin Mohammadi, Ehsan Hosseinipour Hessarloo, Maryam Hedavandmiri, Mohammad Abbasi, Saeid Zarei Kordshouli, Hamidreza Fathi, Abdolreza Fathi, Hamidreza Sabet-Ray, and Mohammadreza Tabari, who have recently been sentenced to death. In another move, the judiciary of Iran’s regime has rejected the retrial request of Peyman Farah Avar, a political prisoner held in Lakan Prison in Rasht, placing his life in danger.
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, the head of the judiciary of Iran’s regime, last week attacked opponents of executions and threatened youths and government opponents with more executions, thereby intensifying the repression of protesting people and, in practice, the execution of prisoners.
As resistance against the medieval death sentences continues, several activists of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign in the women’s ward of Evin Prison, who last Tuesday chanted “No to executions” and “Death to the dictator” in the prison yard, have been deprived of visitation and phone contact.
It is clear to everyone that the policy of repression, imprisonment, and execution cannot prevent the uprising and revolt of the people against the ruling establishment. A government that has lost its legitimacy among the people will not solve its crisis through repression and executions.
We, the members of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign, call on all awakened consciences and opponents of executions, human rights organizations, and the international community to take immediate and effective action to save the lives of political and non-political prisoners in Iran.
In the 119th week of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign, participants in 56 prisons across Iran are on hunger strike on Tuesday, May 5.
