In the 132nd week of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign, political prisoners in 59 prisons across Iran launched a hunger strike on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, once again expressing their firm opposition to the continued issuance and implementation of death sentences. Now in its third year, the campaign has become one of the most widespread, sustained, and influential protest movements inside the country’s prisons.
On this occasion, members of the campaign issued a statement. The full text of the statement is as follows.
Continuation of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” Campaign in Its 132nd Week Across 59 Prisons
A Call for Collective Solidarity Against Executions
As we have witnessed in recent weeks, the crisis-producing and crisis-dependent regime ruling over the lives of the people has expanded the use of executions. Since July 23, it has executed 35 people, including one juvenile offender and one woman. Twenty-eight of these individuals were executed between July 28 and now, including three protesters from the January uprising.
Three Political Prisoners Subjected to Enforced Disappearance in Evin Prison
The Iranian regime, which has made its survival dependent on the repression and exploitation of the people, especially the underprivileged and working classes, has used the pretext of war to intensify its assault on people’s lives and livelihoods. It has deployed loyalist groups to occupy the streets at night, filled public spaces with repression, stationed armored units and checkpoints along major roads, and made no effort to stop the war. This is because it does not fear war; rather, as during the eight-year Iran-Iraq War, it views external threats as a blessing. Despite their many internal disputes, all ruling factions fear the outbreak of a domestic uprising. They know that through their missile infrastructure they can buy time against the United States and Israel to secure their survival.
No country or foreign power, despite the Iranian regime’s warmongering, brings peace, democracy, equality, or human rights to Iran or the region. As opponents of the death penalty, we are naturally opposed to war and foreign intervention as well, and we have repeatedly declared this position.
Prosperity, equality, freedom, happiness, and the rejection of every form of exploitation and dictatorship can only be achieved through the people and collective power. That is why Mojtaba Khamenei, the unseen authoritarian leader, is carrying out his father’s will, reviving the methods of the 1980s by bringing execution cranes into the streets to publicly take the lives of Amirhossein Safari and Abolfazl Sepahi, and by executing 19-year-old Arvin Kheirkhahan in Shahrud, a young man full of hope for life, continuing the massacre of the January protesters in this manner to prevent any form of protest aimed at fundamental revolutionary change. Meanwhile, his representatives praise the benefits of executions during Friday prayers and on state-run radio and television, glorifying the executioners. Any awakened conscience must ask: if these protesting youths were truly criminals and murderers deserving of public execution, why were their trials not held publicly? Why were they secretly tortured and prosecuted?
Inside the prisons, however, we are witnessing remarkable resistance. Courageous and determined prisoners continue to protest repression both inside and outside prison in various ways. They are sent to solitary confinement, exiled to other prisons, yet they appear silent only when they are taken to the gallows and become immortal.
This resistance is not limited to political prisoners. Over the past two weeks, 1,500 prisoners in Unit Two of Ghezel Hesar Prison maintained a hunger strike for more than two weeks with unwavering determination, refusing to end it until prison and prosecutorial authorities committed themselves to halting executions. At the same time, the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign continues in solidarity across 59 prisons, and we, the imprisoned members of the campaign, have become even more determined as executions intensify. Given the current situation, in which one protester—including those arrested during the January protests—is executed almost every day, raising public awareness about executions is essential. Execution is the deprivation of life and a form of state violence, and in Iran every execution serves a political purpose: to spread fear and terror. Today, this inhumane practice threatens the entire Iranian society.
We consider it necessary to thank all political parties and organizations, human rights, labor, and civil society groups, retirees, and domestic and international figures for opposing the death penalty in general and for supporting the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign. At the same time, with all humility, we expect all political, human rights, labor, and civil organizations that oppose executions to defend the “right to life” and “No to Execution” without reservation.
Given that prisoners have carried forward the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign in unity for 132 weeks in row, fulfilling what they see as their minimum duty despite members being transferred to solitary confinement, beaten, and executed, opponents of the death penalty are expected to take effective steps to stop executions and use every available opportunity for practical action against them.
The fact that prosecutors of the Iranian regime have threatened even those who merely speak out against executions with punishment demonstrates the growing influence and importance of the anti-execution movement. Therefore, opposition to the death penalty must become even broader and include all individuals sentenced to death, whether political prisoners of any affiliation or non-political prisoners regardless of the charges against them.
As we have repeatedly declared, our strength lies in our solidarity, and through resistance and collective organization we will break the barrier of dictatorship and executions.
Members of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign are on a hunger strike on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, marking the campaign’s 132nd week across 59 prisons throughout Iran.
