Political Prisoners in Qazalhessar Prison Join Protests Against 'Wave of Executions'

Political prisoners in Qazalhessar Prison in Karaj condemned the 'new wave of executions' and joined the protests of female political prisoners in Evin Prison. On Thursday, July 25, the political prisoners in Unit 4 of Qazalhessar issued a statement regarding the 'execution of more than 18 prisoners within four days,' viewing it as a sign of the resumption of the 'machine of repression and execution in a vengeful and criminal act' by the Islamic Republic. They declared: 'We, the prisoners of Qazalhessar, also join in solidarity with the political prisoners of the women's ward in Evin, and while condemning the violation of the right to life of the people of Iran by the execution machine, we draw the attention of all international human rights organizations to the new wave of executions that has been initiated.' Political and ideological prisoners in the women's ward of Evin Prison protested on Wednesday, July 24, against the death sentence issued for Pakhshan Aziz, a civil activist accused of 'rebellion,' and called for public solidarity to revoke this sentence. The political prisoners in Unit 4 of Qazalhessar emphasized their determination to protest against the death penalty, stating that 'resistance and protest against repression and execution knows no normal or abnormal, political or non-political, and is not subject to suspension.' Iran Human Rights Organization has reported that in the past six days, at least 20 individuals have been executed in the prisons of the Islamic Republic, mainly on 'drug-related charges' and 'premeditated murder.' Seven prisoners, including three women, were executed on Tuesday, July 23, and Kamran Sheikh, a Sunni political prisoner, was executed on Thursday. Despite domestic and international protests against executions, the judiciary of the Islamic Republic continues to issue death sentences, including for political prisoners such as Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist, and Pakhshan Aziz, a civil activist. Previously, the Iran Human Rights Organization, based in Norway, had warned about the resumption of a new wave of executions following the voting to appoint a successor to Ebrahim Raisi. Mahmoud Amiri Moghaddam, the director of this organization, urged the people of Iran and the global community to 'prepare for an appropriate response to the potential wave of executions.' Reactions to the execution of Kamran Sheikh: 'Extrajudicial murder' and 'illegal'; the Islamic Republic must be held accountable. An informed source: Pakhshan Aziz, a condemned prisoner, has denied his charges. The Iranian government executed Kamran Sheikh, the seventh accused in the case of the murder of an imam in Mahabad. Two labor unions in Spain and France have joined the international campaign against the death sentence of Sharifeh Mohammadi.