Women's Ward of Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz Joins 'No to Execution Tuesdays' Campaign

The 'No to Execution Tuesdays' campaign announced the joining of the women's ward of Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz to this protest movement coinciding with International Women's Day, March 8. In a statement issued by the campaign on the occasion of the fifty-ninth week of the start of this protest movement by prisoners, a copy of which was also received by Voice of America, International Women's Day was congratulated to all women around the world, 'especially to the resilient and fighting women of this land who have faced gross discrimination for centuries and have risen for their minimum human rights over the past 46 years despite the fascist religious and misogynistic regime.' The 'No to Execution Tuesdays' campaign, while honoring 'the memory of thousands of women who lost their lives in the struggle for freedom,' wrote: 'The oppressive government in Iran continues its killing machine without pause, having executed nearly 100 people since the beginning of March, including 28 on March 11 alone.' The campaign's statement noted: 'This week, coinciding with International Women's Day, a group of prisoners from the women's ward of Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz announced in a statement that they are joining the No to Execution Tuesdays campaign and are calling for the abolition of the death penalty.' The campaign called on 'all prisoners and all awakened consciences, as well as political, human rights, civil, and labor activists' to stand against executions in Iran and be the voice of each condemned prisoner.' The statement from prisoners in 38 prisons across the country emphasized: 'We must all be aware that thousands of prisoners for common crimes and dozens of political and ideological prisoners are under the death penalty; prisoners who spend every moment in prison with thoughts of the noose and gallows, and at any moment, their right to life may be trampled by the religious tyranny's repressive apparatus. Therefore, it is necessary for everyone to remind the issue of prisoners under death sentences amidst the clamor of various news and to take a serious stance against it.' According to the 'No to Execution Tuesdays' campaign, prisoners in 38 prisons will go on hunger strike during the fifty-ninth week of this protest movement, including 'the women's ward, and two wards 4 and 8 of Evin Prison, units 3 and 4 of Qezel Hesar Prison, Karaj Central Prison, Greater Tehran Prison, Khourin Prison in Varamin, Chubindar Prison in Qazvin, Arak Prison, and Khorramabad Prison.' Other prisons include 'Asadabad and Dashtgerd in Isfahan, Sheiban and Sepidar in Ahvaz, Nazem and Adelabad in Shiraz, Borazjan, Ramhormoz, Bam, Kahnouj, Tabas, Jovin, Mashhad, Gonbad Kavus, Qaemshahr, Rasht, Rudsar, Hovigh Talesh, Dieselabad in Kermanshah, Ardabil, Tabriz, Urmia, Salmas, Khoy, Naqdeh, Miyandoab, Saqqez, Baneh, Marivan, and Kamyaran.'