Political Prisoners in Qazalhessar Emphasize Continuation of 'No to Execution Tuesdays'; 8 Female Prisoners in Rasht Join Hunger Strike

A source close to members of the 'No to Execution Tuesdays' campaign in Qazalhessar prison in Karaj told Voice of America that the weekly hunger strike in protest against the issuance and execution of death sentences continued for the 27th week. Additionally, a number of female political prisoners in Lakan prison in Rasht joined this campaign this week. An informed source on Tuesday, August 1, told the Persian section of Voice of America that political prisoners in Qazalhessar, Karaj announced that the simultaneous hunger strike of prisoners in several prisons of the Islamic Republic as part of the 'No to Execution Tuesdays' campaign continued, and they emphasized that they would continue this joint human rights action until the abolition of the death penalty. The Telegram channel 'Bidar Zani', which follows news related to women's rights in Iran, reported that this week, eight political prisoners held in Lakan prison in Rasht also joined the 'No to Execution Tuesdays' campaign. According to this report, Zahra and Zohreh Dadras, Forough Sami'nia, Sharifeh Mohammadi, Azadeh Chavoshian, Jelveh Javaheri, Negin Rezaei, and Shiva Shahsiah, political prisoners held in Lakan prison, stated that 'while opposing the issuance of death sentences for political and non-political prisoners, they are specifically protesting the issuance of death sentences for Sharifeh Mohammadi and Pakhshan Azizi.' Thus, the simultaneous and weekly hunger strike of prisoners is currently ongoing in at least 17 prisons in Iran. An informed source on Monday, July 31, had informed Voice of America that Reza Mohammadi, Zartosht Ahmadi Raghb, Reza Salmanzadeh, and Mostafa Zamani 'in continuation of their opposition to executions and in solidarity with the protests of female political prisoners in Evin, part of the members of the No to Execution Tuesdays campaign, from Monday, August 1 to Tuesday, staged a sit-in in front of the entrance of the political prisoners' ward in Unit 4 of the joint Rajai Shahr and Qazalhessar prisons' and 'demanded the abolition of the issuance and execution of inhumane death sentences.' Previously, a number of political and non-political prisoners in Qazalhessar in Units 3 and 4, Evin in wards 4, 6, 8, and the women's ward, Central Prison of Karaj, Khorramabad, Tabriz, Ardabil, Qaemshahr, Khoy, Naqdeh, Mashhad, Saqqez, Urmia, Marivan, Kamyaran, Baneh, and Salmas had joined the hunger strike of the prisoners. The increase in the number of executions in Iran by the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic last week has led to a wave of protests from activists and international human rights organizations. An informed source on Tuesday, August 1, told Voice of America that political prisoners in Qazalhessar, Karaj announced that the simultaneous hunger strike of prisoners in several prisons of the Islamic Republic as part of the 'No to Execution Tuesdays' campaign continued, and they emphasized that they would continue this joint human rights action until the abolition of the death penalty. Additionally, the Telegram channel 'Bidar Zani', which follows news related to women's rights in Iran, reported that this week, eight political prisoners held in Lakan prison in Rasht also joined the 'No to Execution Tuesdays' campaign. According to this report, Zahra and Zohreh Dadras, Forough Sami'nia, Sharifeh Mohammadi, Azadeh Chavoshian, Jelveh Javaheri, Negin Rezaei, and Shiva Shahsiah, political prisoners held in Lakan prison, stated that 'while opposing the issuance of death sentences for political and non-political prisoners, they are specifically protesting the issuance of death sentences for Sharifeh Mohammadi and Pakhshan Azizi.' Thus, the simultaneous and weekly hunger strike of prisoners is currently ongoing in at least 17 prisons in Iran. An informed source on Monday, July 31, had informed Voice of America that Reza Mohammadi, Zartosht Ahmadi Raghb, Reza Salmanzadeh, and Mostafa Zamani 'in continuation of their opposition to executions and in solidarity with the protests of female political prisoners in Evin, part of the members of the No to Execution Tuesdays campaign, from Monday, August 1 to Tuesday, staged a sit-in in front of the entrance of the political prisoners' ward in Unit 4 of the joint Rajai Shahr and Qazalhessar prisons' and 'demanded the abolition of the issuance and execution of inhumane death sentences.' Previously, a number of political and non-political prisoners in Qazalhessar in Units 3 and 4, Evin in wards 4, 6, 8, and the women's ward, Central Prison of Karaj, Khorramabad, Tabriz, Ardabil, Qaemshahr, Khoy, Naqdeh, Mashhad, Saqqez, Urmia, Marivan, Kamyaran, Baneh, and Salmas had joined the hunger strike of the prisoners. The increase in the number of executions in Iran by the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic last week has led to a wave of protests from activists and international human rights organizations.