Rising Executions and the Nationwide “No to the Death Penalty” Campaign
Political Prisoners Fight Behind Bars to Halt the Clerical Regime’s Killing Machine
In August, coinciding with the inauguration of the clerical regime’s new president and the confirmation of his cabinet, Iran witnessed a surge in executions. From July 22 to August 21, the regime executed at least 126 individuals, with an additional 12 executions carried out by August 31.
Among those executed were nine women and two political prisoners. Kamran Sheikheh, a Sunni prisoner of conscience, was executed on July 25, and Reza Rasaei, a protester arrested during the nationwide uprising of 2022, was hanged on August 6.
Among the unprecedented events in recent history was the mass execution of 29 individuals on August 7, with 26 of them being hanged simultaneously at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj. On August 26, another prisoner was executed in public in Shahrud, a practice that had not been carried out since the public hanging of Majidreza Rahnavard, an executed protester, in Mashhad on December 12, 2022.
The clerical regime, by intensifying executions—especially targeting political prisoners and conducting public hangings—aims to solidify a climate of fear and repression, hoping to prevent the outbreak of another uprising. The regime is fully aware that Iranian society is on the brink of eruption, with numerous protests occurring daily across the country by various discontented groups. Among the most notable of these protests in August were those led by nurses and healthcare workers, who launched a nationwide strike that has now continued for over three weeks.
Amidst these turbulent times, some of the most courageous acts of resistance are taking place behind the high walls of prisons, where prisoners are bravely standing against the inhumane practice of the death penalty. Since February 2024, informed and resolute inmates have risked severe repercussions by launching hunger strikes in protest against the executions carried out every Tuesday at dawn in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.
This campaign has exacted a heavy toll on those involved. The prisoners have faced beatings, been stripped of visitation rights and phone calls, and subjected to solitary confinement. Yet, their resolve has not wavered.
By the final week of August, the Tuesday hunger strike against executions had entered its 31st week, expanding to 20 prisons across Iran and attracting widespread support both domestically and internationally.
In this month’s bulletin, we take a closer look at the protests led by female political prisoners in the women’s ward of Evin Prison and other detention centers across the country.
Hunger Strikes and Sit-Ins in the Women’s Ward of Evin
On February 13, 2024, a group of women political prisoners affiliated with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) and imprisoned in the women’s ward of Evin Prison joined the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign in its third week. This campaign was initiated by prisoners in Ghezel Hesar Prison on January 30, following the execution of imprisoned protester, Mohammad Ghobadlou, and a Sunni prisoner of conscience, Farhad Salimi, with the aim of ending executions and torture in Iran.
Later, a larger group of political prisoners in the women’s ward of Evin Prison issued a statement on Tuesday, July 30, declaring their participation in the nationwide “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign.
“We, a group of women political prisoners in the women’s ward of Evin, stand alongside our brothers in the brutal prisons of the Velayat-e Faqih regime. As we mark the 27th Tuesday against executions, we have received the devastating news of the death sentence issued against our beloved cellmate, Pakhshan Azizi, and the threats of execution against our other cellmates, Nasim Gholami and Varisha Moradi.
“Now, as units of resistance and uprising within the regime’s most feared prisons, we draw a clear line against both the clerics and the monarchy, joining hands with other prisoners in the ‘Tuesdays Against Executions’ campaign. Together, we raise our voices to reach the world, amplifying the cry of Pakhshan Azizi, who has been unjustly sentenced to death, and the voices of all prisoners who are led to the gallows every day.”
Earlier, on July 25 and 27, 2024, the majority of female political prisoners in the women’s ward of Evin, representing various beliefs, staged a collective sit-in in the courtyard of the ward to protest the death sentence issued against Pakhshan Azizi. They announced their intention to remain in the courtyard from 7 PM onward, refusing to return to their cells that night.
In a symbolic act of defiance, they set fire to a noose to express their opposition to executions. As the rope burned, they chanted: “Death to the regime of executions; death to the dictator; united in Evin’s women’s ward; we will stand firm until the death sentence is overturned.”
On Saturday, August 3, in retaliation for the protests, dozens of female prisoners at Evin Prison were notified that they would be indefinitely denied family visits. In response to this punitive action, the female political prisoners announced that they would not tolerate this infringement on their fundamental rights—the right to in-person visits—and vowed to protest against this unjust measure.
Around noon on Tuesday, August 7, 2024, female political prisoners at Evin Prison protested the execution of fellow political prisoner Reza Rasaei by staging a protest. This protest aligned with the nationwide “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign and the hunger strikes taking place across the country. The women chanted slogans condemning the death penalty, including “Death to the Dictator” and “Death to the Executioner Regime.”
In response to the protest by female political prisoners in the women’s ward of Evin Prison, several guards were deployed to suppress the unrest. This intervention resulted in injuries to some of the prisoners, who were subsequently taken to the prison infirmary. Additionally, all phone communications for these political prisoners were severed, preventing them from contacting their families.
Despite these punitive measures, the female political prisoners in Evin, many of whom are in poor health and lack access to medical care, remain resolute. They continue their protests and hunger strikes as part of the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign with unwavering determination.
The Women’s Ward of Lakan Prison of Rasht
On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, eight female political prisoners held at Lakan Prison in Rasht commenced a hunger strike and joined the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign. These prisoners are protesting not only against death sentences issued to political and non-political inmates but are also specifically protesting the death sentences imposed on political prisoners, Sharifeh Mohammadi and Pakhshan Azizi.
Additionally, they have raised concerns about 14 non-political female prisoners at Lakan Prison who are at risk of execution. They have called for attention to their plight and support for these largely unknown detainees.
With the increase in the number of political prisoners in the women’s ward at Lakan Prison, approximately 16 inmates are currently participating in the “No to Executions Tuesdays” hunger strike.
On Wednesday, August 14, these prisoners staged a sit-in to protest the transfer of two women’s rights activists to the Intelligence Department. Intelligence officers entered the political prisoners’ section at Lakan Prison and took the activists for “interrogation and further questioning” at the Intelligence Department in Rasht. The supervising judge at the prison did not address the concerns of the women, prompting them to stage a sit-in at the guard officer’s office to protest the actions of the intelligence officers.
The Women’s Ward of the Central Prison of Tabriz
Earlier, on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, several political prisoners at Tabriz Prison, including female political prisoners, Armita Paveir and Maryam Bayramian, announced their participation in the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign, marking its 23rd week.
On Wednesday, August 21, Armita Paveer clashed with prison authorities over the denial of medical care to a seriously ill inmate. In retaliation, she was placed in solitary confinement and has since been cut off from all contact and visits with her family.
Armita Paveer, 29, is a student of Cellular and Molecular Biology at Azerbaijan’s Madani University.
The Women’s Ward of the Central Prison of Mashhad (Vakilabad)
On July 30 and 31, 2024, female prisoners at Mashhad Prison staged protests due to inadequate facilities and the oppressive heat in the wards and kitchen. Their dissatisfaction was expressed through the destruction of glass panes and security cameras. In response, Ali Abdi, the head of Vakilabad Prison, ordered guards to enter the women’s ward and suppress the unrest.
The prison infirmary refused to treat the injured prisoners, and following the clashes, the authorities transferred several women from the general ward to various other areas, including the psychiatric unit.
During the second protest on August 3, a special forces unit, following orders from prison authorities, escalated their crackdown on the female prisoners. For eight hours, cell doors were locked, preventing access to restrooms, the store, outdoor exercise, and medical care. Guards pounded on the doors with batons and created a disruptive clamor.
Several prisoners were transferred to the psychiatric unit, while others faced disciplinary actions that included restrictions on visits, phone calls, and leave.
In the psychiatric unit, inmates were restrained in a crucifixion-like position, causing severe wounds and infections on their arms and legs. They were only allowed to move one hand for restroom use and meal times. Additionally, prisoners were coerced into taking sedatives and anti-anxiety medications, leading to dependency.
Earlier, on July 18, a female prisoner known as “Ms. N” at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad began a hunger strike in protest against the brutal torture she had endured, sewing her lips shut. Ms. N, a mother of four, has been imprisoned at Vakilabad for nearly a year following an unfair trial.
The director of the women’s ward and a guard named Salari subjected her to inhumane conditions, confining her to a filthy, cold stone cell without food or water. For 30 hours, her hands were shackled behind her back with iron cuffs, and her legs were tightly bound, leading to severe bruising and swelling in her wrists. She has been denied access to necessary medical care.
Despite the family’s numerous complaints to various authorities—including the head of the Khorasan Razavi courts, the Mashhad prosecutor, the prison oversight inspector, and the supervising judge—they have received no response. Ms. N continues to suffer both physical and psychological torture, and prison officials have denied her family visits. When her mother finally succeeded in visiting her after considerable effort, the meeting was conducted under the watchful eye of a female guard.
International Support
At the onset of the prisoners’ hunger strike as part of the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign, this action received support from members of the European Parliament. Ms. Dorien Rookmaker, MEP from the Netherlands, emphasized this during the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on February 7, 2024.
Sixty-eight Iranian and international human rights organizations and groups issued a joint statement affirming their support and solidarity with the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign. They urged the international community to back this protest movement.
The statement, released on August 27, condemned the clerical regime for using the death penalty as a tool of political repression and highlighted that executions are carried out by courts that do not adhere to basic legal standards.
Additionally, Elisabetta Zamparutti, a former Italian parliamentarian and a leading figure in the human rights organization Hands Off Cain, expressed her support for the campaign. On August 19, she announced that starting on Tuesday, she will join the hunger strike alongside prisoners in Iranian jails.
In her posts on Facebook and Instagram, Zamparutti wrote: “In Iran, executions are continuously and dramatically increasing. The regime remains under the control of the Supreme Leader, and changing the president does not alter this situation. Therefore, starting next Tuesday, I will participate in the hunger strike every Tuesday with the prisoners, protesting against these executions.”
International Campaign Against the Death Penalty in Iran
On Saturday, August 28, at an international conference in Paris, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), launched the “No to the Death Penalty” campaign. She declared, “In the face of a regime of executions and massacres, I again call on everyone to expand the campaign against executions. I urge the participants of this conference and all human rights defenders to actively engage in the major ‘No to the Death Penalty’ campaign.”
At the international conference held in Paris, former international judges, UN special rapporteurs, and legal experts issued urgent warnings about the alarming rise in executions in Iran. They called for the regime’s leaders to be held accountable for crimes against humanity and demanded an end to the entrenched culture of impunity.
The Price of Freedom
Since the ascension of the new clerical president and the formation of his cabinet, Iran has experienced a distressing surge in executions. Massoud Pezeshkian has emphasized that the brutal policies of Ebrahim Raisi, known as the “1988 mass murder” will persist and has repeatedly underscored his loyalty to Ali Khamenei, the mullahs’ Supreme Leader.
The clerical regime cannot endure even a single day without resorting to repression, executions, and torture. To sustain its authority and reinforce the atmosphere of oppression, it sends dozens of individuals to the gallows every day.
Iranian prisons are overflowing with those who have been imprisoned for their awareness, their activism, and their protests against the prevailing injustices. The courageous women of Iran, with their unwavering resolve, are paying a heavy price for the freedom of themselves and their compatriots.
In closing, let us remember two resilient and courageous women, political prisoners Maryam Akbari Monfared and Zeinab Jalalian, who have been exiled to remote prisons among ordinary inmates and denied medical care, all to prevent them from inspiring fellow prisoners and the public.
Pakhshan Azizi, a social worker sentenced to death by the clerical regime, wrote in a letter from prison: “Those who walk the path of truth and freedom imbue both life and death with new meaning. Our fear is not of death itself, but of a life devoid of honor and freedom. True liberation begins where women—the most ancient of the oppressed—stand resolute and unwavering for their dignity and honor, embracing death as a path to freedom.
“Sharifeh Mohammadi, myself, and other women on death row are neither the first nor the last to be condemned merely for seeking a life of dignity and freedom. Yet, freedom cannot be attained without sacrifice. The price of freedom is indeed high.”
