This grassroots initiative, aimed at combating the Iranian regime’s alarming use of capital punishment, coincided with a series of hunger strikes across 25 prisons in Iran. The striking prisoners, representing facilities from Evin to Ghezel Hesar and Tehran’s Great Prison, voiced collective dissent against what they called “the regime’s systematic human rights abuses.”
In a powerful statement, the campaign exposed stark statistics: over 100,000 executions have occurred under the current Iranian regime’s 45-year rule. Recent numbers are particularly harrowing; in just the past 20 days, 75 individuals were hanged, contributing to a staggering total of 770 executions within the first nine months of 2024. The prisoners compared the grim realities of Iranian detention centers to the horrors of Syria’s Sednaya Prison, underscoring the global necessity for accountability and justice.
#IranProtests: 45 Weeks of Defiance Against the Death Penalty Led by Prisonershttps://t.co/cJym5Tk8AF
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) December 3, 2024
“The atrocities revealed in Syrian detention facilities should be a wake-up call,” the statement warned. “Legal executions are a facade for state-sanctioned murder. The international community must act decisively to prevent history from repeating itself.”
The campaign celebrated the recent release of prisoners from Syrian facilities, marking it as a victory for human rights and a symbol of hope for those still imprisoned. “The liberation of Syrian detainees serves as a pivotal moment for human rights advocates globally. It is a reminder that sustained, unified efforts can dismantle even the most oppressive systems,” the statement added.
The hunger strike, spanning prisons nationwide, highlighted the prisoners’ resilience in the face of repression. Institutions like Evin Prison’s women’s ward and Tehran’s Great Prison joined forces with smaller facilities such as Bam and Saqqez Prisons, creating a nationwide tapestry of defiance. The campaign’s ultimate goal is clear: to galvanize global action against the death penalty and to dismantle oppressive regimes’ reliance on execution as a tool of control.
“This is not just a fight against execution orders,” the statement concluded. “It is a call to transform the global human rights movement into a unified force capable of disarming oppressive rulers of their criminal tools.”
As the campaign enters its 47th week, the world watches, bearing witness to the courage of Iranian prisoners and the enduring fight for human dignity and justice.
MEK Iran (follow us on Twitter and Facebook), Maryam Rajavi’s on her site, Twitter & Facebook, NCRI (Twitter & Facebook), and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTu
