On August 26, authorities executed a prisoner in Shahrud and another in Zahedan, continuing a chilling trend that has gripped the nation. In the days leading up to these executions, four other prisoners were hanged in Qazvin, Isfahan, Tabriz, and Nahavand. This brings the total number of documented executions during the Iranian month of Mordad (July 22 to August 21) to at least 126.
The regime has attempted to portray Pezeshkian as a moderate and reformist leader, yet the ongoing wave of executions tells a different story, raising concerns about the new administration’s commitment to human rights and reform. In response to this alarming surge in state-sanctioned killings, political prisoners across Iran have intensified their resistance.
On August 27, prisoners in 19 different facilities launched the 31st week of the “No to Executions on Tuesdays” campaign, a coordinated hunger strike aimed at drawing attention to the regime’s brutal use of the death penalty. The prisons involved in this campaign include some of the country’s most notorious, such as Evin, Ghezel Hesar, and the Greater Tehran prison.
They highlighted the dire situation faced by thousands of prisoners currently on death row, many of whom fear their execution is imminent. Despite the intense repression, the prisoners expressed their determination to continue resisting and called on others, both within and outside Iran, to join their fight against the death penalty.
International support for the prisoners’ campaign has also begun to materialize. Notably, two Italian parliamentarians have joined the hunger strike in solidarity with the Iranian political prisoners, marking a significant step in garnering global attention to the plight of those on death row in Iran.
The prisoners expressed their gratitude for this international support, urging “awakened consciences around the world” to unite against the death penalty and the broader campaign of repression being waged by the Iranian regime.
As the world watches, the question remains whether this wave of repression will continue unchecked or if the global community will stand firm in defense of universal human rights.
