In the 119th consecutive week of the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign, political prisoners in 56 prisons across Iran staged a coordinated hunger strike on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, protesting the continued use of the death penalty and the repressive conditions inside prisons. The protest took place amid mounting security pressure and sweeping restrictions aimed at preventing prisoner participation in the campaign.
Sustained Protest Under Escalating Pressure Inside Prisons
According to available reports, prison authorities have attempted to suppress the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign through measures including threats of transfer to solitary confinement, suspension of phone privileges, denial of family visits, and the imposition of stricter controls. Despite these pressures, political prisoners have persisted in their protest against capital punishment and broader repressive state policies.
At Evin Prison, pressure on female political prisoners has reportedly intensified. Seven female political prisoners have been denied family visitation rights for participating in the campaign. Prison officials stated that the restriction will remain in place for three weeks and attributed the punishment to the prisoners’ protest activities, including singing and chanting slogans.
Akram Daneshvarkar, 54, an active member of the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign, was arrested alongside her sister in April by security forces and transferred to Qarchak Prison in Varamin. Their arrest followed efforts to obtain information about the fate and burial site of their brother, Akbar Daneshvarkar, who was executed earlier that same month. Prior to her arrest, Akram Daneshvarkar had been actively involved in the campaign and, together with her family, had advocated for halting her brother’s execution.
Call for Urgent International Action to Halt Executions
In its latest weekly statement, the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign warned of a rising number of executions in Iran and called on the international community and human rights organizations to take immediate action to save prisoners at risk of execution.
“The policy of imprisonment and execution cannot suppress public protest and uprising. A government that has lost its legitimacy will not resolve its crises through repression and executions,” the statement reads.
Campaign members also urged global civil society, anti-death penalty advocates, and international institutions to take concrete steps to end executions and support prisoners in Iran.
