Exclusive: Seven Current and Former Political Prisoners Support 'Tuesdays No to Execution'

Seven current and former political prisoners have voiced their support for the 'Tuesdays No to Execution' campaign in audio and video messages obtained by the Persian section of Voice of America, calling for 'freedom-loving people around the world' to join this human rights campaign. Reza Salmanzadeh, Zartosht Ahmadi Raghb, Reza Mohammadi Hosseini, and Mostafa Ramazani, four political prisoners held in Qazalhasar Prison in Karaj, stated in their messages that the death penalty leads to increased violence and is a tool of the Iranian regime's growing pressure on society. They described the goal of the 'Tuesdays No to Execution' campaign as 'violence prevention' and 'support for human lives' and urged all freedom-loving individuals globally to join this campaign. Three former political prisoners, Barzan Mohammadi, Mazaher Heydari, and Masoud Vazifeh, also expressed their support for this human rights campaign that began last winter, condemning the 'inhumane sentences' issued by the Iranian judiciary. Mazaher Heydari, a former political prisoner, expressed hope in his message that a day will come when there are no political prisoners or executions in Iran. The 'Tuesdays No to Execution' campaign, initiated by a number of political prisoners in Qazalhasar Prison in Bahman 1402 (January-February 2023), has continued with the participation of prisoners from at least 20 other prisons. Activists of this campaign draw public attention to the issuance and execution of death sentences in Iran through group hunger strikes every Tuesday. These human rights activists consider 'inhumane death sentences' as a cause of 'violations of all human rights standards' and aimed at 'creating an atmosphere of terror and preventing a new wave of widespread protests.' Maya Sato, the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran, recently noted that at least 93 people were executed in Iran last month, stating that only a portion of these executions were officially reported by the Iranian regime. Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, described the execution statistics in Iran and the judicial processes leading to such sentences as 'concerning.' He criticized the Iranian judiciary, stating that this body is 'in no way independent or capable of providing fair trials.' According to Amnesty International, the Iranian regime was responsible for 74% of recorded executions worldwide last year. Sentences for three members of the family of Pekhan Azizi, a civil activist sentenced to death, were upheld in a court of appeal. Seven prisoners were executed by the Iranian judiciary. The execution of a 'child offender' in Shiraz and two prisoners in Lahijan occurred. Dozens of female prisoners went on hunger strike demanding the cessation of executions and the release of political prisoners.