The “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign, a hunger strike movement by prisoners against capital punishment in Iran, has entered its 22nd week.
On Tuesday, prisoners across twelve wards in seven Iranian prisons participated in the protest.
This week’s action saw an increase in participants, with nine prisoners of conscience from Ward 3 of Ghezelhesar Prison joining the campaign.
The hunger strike now spans multiple facilities, including Evin Prison (Women’s Ward, Wards 4, 6, and 8), Qezelhesar Prison (Wards 3 and 4), Karaj Central Prison, Khorram Abad Prison, and prisons in Khoi, Naqdeh, Saqqez, and Mashhad.
They have expressed concern over recent statements by Iran’s Supreme Leader regarding the “need to ignore the basics of Western human rights.”
Participants view these comments as a serious threat to human rights in Iran and have called for increased domestic and international attention to rights violations in the country.
“I heard that some honorable judges refer to the principles of Western human rights in their judicial rulings,” Ali Khamenei said during a meeting with judicial authorities. “This is wrong.”
“Those foundations are false foundations. Now, they are not doing anything – the clear signs are in front of everyone’s eyes today that they are not acting either; the basics are wrong,” he added.
The weekly hunger strike began in February and involved prisoners from various Iranian jails.
Number of executions in Iran was 853 in 2023, which is the highest recorded since 2015 and marks a 48 percent increase from 2022 in the aftermath of the Woman, Life, Freedom protests.
The spike in death penalties has continued into 2024, with at least 95 recorded executions by March 20, according to Amnesty International.
Source » iranwire