In the 122nd week of the protest campaign “No to Executions Tuesdays,” political prisoners in 56 prisons across Iran launched another hunger strike on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in protest against the regime’s execution policies and ongoing repression.
The protest took place amid escalating pressure from security agencies and prison authorities in recent weeks, including threats, punitive measures, and disciplinary restrictions aimed particularly at female political prisoners in an effort to halt the campaign. Despite these measures, prisoners participating in the movement stated that they will not remain silent in the face of the growing wave of executions in Iran.
Pressure on Female Political Prisoners in Evin Prison
Among those participating in the campaign are female political prisoners held in the women’s ward of Evin Prison, who chant anti-execution slogans every Tuesday in protest against executions. In response to their participation, prison authorities have imposed visitation bans and denied them phone contact with their families.
Iran’s contemporary history is marked by the names of women who have stood for freedom and equality while paying a heavy price for their activism. Over the past decade in particular, women have played a central role in nationwide protests, including the December 2017 demonstrations, the November 2019 protests, the 2022 “Woman, Resistance, Freedom” uprising, and the January 2026 protests.
The justice-seeking movement in Iran has also been shaped by women who have openly opposed the death penalty and played a significant role in expanding the “No to Executions” campaign. Female political prisoners in prisons across the country have consistently served as voices for the right to life and freedom within the “No to Executions Tuesdays” movement. Iranian authorities continue to suppress even women’s peaceful protest, reflecting the deeply entrenched misogyny embedded within the structure of the ruling establishment.
International Reactions to Iran’s Wave of Executions
Over the past week, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, alongside Amnesty International and several human rights organizations, condemned the surge in executions in Iran and called for their immediate halt.
In the same context, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning executions and targeted repression by the Iranian regime, while calling for increased international pressure on Tehran. The resolution urged governments to condition any political engagement or relations with Iran on an end to executions.
Members of the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign once again called on international human rights organizations and global public opinion to take effective action to prevent further executions in Iran and to stand alongside the Iranian people in their demands for freedom, justice, and the abolition of the death penalty.
