In the 126th week of the protest campaign “No to Executions Tuesdays,” prisoners in 57 prisons across Iran staged a hunger strike on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, once again voicing their opposition to the continued issuance and implementation of death sentences.
With Kerman Prison joining the initiative, the number of participating prisons has risen to 57, reflecting the growing reach and influence of this demand in different parts of the country.
Over the past two-and-a-half years, the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign has become one of the most enduring and widespread protest movements within Iran’s prison system.
Women Persist in Campaign Participation
Despite security pressure, threats, communication restrictions, and the potential consequences of hunger strikes, participants have continued to insist on maintaining their protests. They argue that the death penalty not only violates the fundamental right to life but has also become a tool for intensifying fear and silencing dissenting voices.
A significant number of these prisoners are women political prisoners, currently serving their sentences in the women’s ward of Evin Prison (Tehran), Qarchak Prison (Varamin), the women’s ward of Sepidar Prison (Ahvaz), the women’s ward of Adelabad Prison (Shiraz), the women’s ward of Zahedan Prison, the women’s ward of Yazd Prison, and the women’s ward of the Lakan Prison in Rasht.
Prisoners participating in the campaign have stressed that they will not remain silent in the face of rising executions and expanding repressive policies. According to them, “No to Executions Tuesdays” is not merely a protest by death row prisoners, but a collective voice for those seeking to defend human dignity, justice, and the right to life.
MOU Failed to Address Human Rights Situation in Iran
In a section of the statement, referring to the published provisions of a recent agreement, the prisoners emphasized that despite addressing political and security issues, it made no reference to the human rights situation in Iran, the suppression of protesters, arrests, or executions.
