The Second Year of the 'No to Execution Tuesdays' Campaign Begins: Hangman's Noose to be Removed

Political and non-political prisoners in 34 prisons of the Islamic Republic of Iran expressed hope on Tuesday, February 9, during the fifty-third campaign of 'No to Execution Tuesdays' that in the second year of this campaign, their voices would 'connect with the voices of women, men, and youth of Iran from behind the thick prison walls and contribute to the defense of human rights and the removal of gallows.' In a statement from prisoners in 34 prisons, a copy of which was obtained by Voice of America, it was mentioned that over a thousand prisoners were executed last year, and in the past month, the number of executions exceeded 110. They wrote: 'On the anniversary of this campaign, we are on hunger strike while on Sunday, February 7, two political prisoners and members of the campaign, named Behrouz Ehsani and Mahdi Hasani, who have been sentenced to death, were 'violently abducted from Evin Prison and transferred to Qazalhasar Prison.' The statement referenced the comments of the defense lawyers for these two political prisoners on Tuesday, February 8, who stated that 'a request for retrial in their case has been filed,' adding: 'However, based on information received by the campaign, these two political prisoners are currently in the secure cells of Unit 3 of Qazalhasar, which is where prisoners on the verge of execution are held, and they are at risk of execution.' The statement addressed the first hunger strike of political prisoners in Qazalhasar Karaj on Tuesday, February 9, 1402, and added: 'Initially, a number of political prisoners in wards 4 and 8 of Evin, then the women's ward of Evin Prison, Karaj Central Prison, and Roshteen Prison joined the 'No to Execution Tuesdays' campaign in successive weeks. The prisoners who signed the statement believe that the 'No to Execution Tuesdays' campaign began 'because the wave of executions became so widespread and pervasive that it had no precedent anywhere in the world.' The signatories emphasized that 'this could not be coincidental or merely a legal-criminal matter,' adding: 'At the beginning of the wave of executions, a letter of appeal from ordinary prisoners under the death sentence was published, asking all prisoners and the people of Iran for help to save their lives and the multitude of those sentenced to death.' The statement added: 'The start of the 'No to Execution Tuesdays' campaign coincided with the seventh day after the execution of the late Mohammad Ghobadlou and Farhad Salimi, political and ideological prisoners of Qazalhasar.' The signatories pointed out that 'the initial members of the campaign protested against the executions with their hunger strike' and 'chose Tuesday for the strike because condemned prisoners are generally transferred to solitary confinement on Mondays and executed on Wednesday mornings.' They also emphasized: 'This protest movement, which has now spread to most of the country's prisons, has, thanks to the efforts of our compatriots inside and outside the country, transcended the walls of prisons and crossed geographical borders,' and wrote: 'A multitude of human rights organizations, human rights activists, international bodies and organizations, and even political currents have supported it. Many media outlets and news agencies have also, in a responsible act regarding human rights, published the statement and reports of the 'No to Execution Tuesdays' campaign weekly and informed the public.' The statement also referenced the appreciation of Javaid Rehman, the former UN Special Rapporteur on human rights violations in Iran, and stated that Maiko Sato, the current UN Special Rapporteur, considered the campaign 'an unwavering commitment to justice and human rights that shines in the face of the repressive actions of the government.' The political and non-political prisoners who signed the statement referred to the increasing public support for their protest movement in the prisons of the Islamic Republic of Iran, noting that in recent weeks, 'we have witnessed internal support from students, teachers, workers, and women.' They regarded the general strike in Kurdish regions of Iran as 'a turning point' that 'deserves appreciation and should be expanded throughout Iran.' In another part of the statement, it was written that 'in Iran under the rule of a religious dictatorship, executions have reached unbelievable dimensions and have become a tool for intimidating the people, holding the general public hostage through this means.' The signatories emphasized: 'In Iran, the death penalty is not a legal punishment but has become a political tool for repression and revenge against the people of Iran,' and wrote: 'This truth doubles our duty to confront repression, torture, and executions, and we hope to fulfill this duty.' They concluded their statement by writing: 'According to Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 'Everyone has the right to life and existence,' and according to Article 5, 'No one shall be subjected to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.' Furthermore, execution is 'an irreparable and irreversible punishment.' According to this statement, in the fifty-third week of this campaign, prisoners in the following 34 prisons are on hunger strike: 'Evin (women's ward, wards 4 and 8), Qazalhasar (units 2 and 4), Karaj Central Prison, Greater Tehran, Khourin Varamin, Arak, Khorramabad, Asadabad, and Dastgerd Isfahan, Sheyban and Sepidar Ahvaz, Nazem and Adelabad Shiraz (women's and men's wards), Borazjan and Ramhormoz.' Additionally, prisoners from Bam, Kahnouj, Tabas, Jovin, Mashhad, Qaemshahr, Roshteen (men's and women's wards), Roudsar, Hovigh Talesh, Ardabil, Tabriz, Urmia, Salmas, Khoy, Naqdeh, Saqez, Baneh, Marivan, and Kamyaran are participating in this campaign.