Prisoners Continue Their Hunger Strike on the 15th Week of “No to Execution” Campaign

Since April 20, at least 80 prisoners in Iran who had been sentenced to death have been executed in prisons across the country. Last week, the judiciary of the Islamic Republic silently executed Anwar Khezri, a Kurdish prisoner of conscience, after 15 years of torture and imprisonment.

And, on Tuesday, May 7, in the 15th week of “#NoToExecution” campaign, prisoners in Evin, Ghezel Hesar, Khorramabad, Khoi, Naqadeh and other prisons in Iran went on a hunger strike.

Besides protesting executions that have already been carried out, they also warned against the imminent execution of Khosro Besharat, a Kurdish political prisoner in Ghezelhessar Prison who has been moved to solitary confinement in anticipation of his execution, and called for solidarity to stop the execution.

Protesting prisoners also emphasized that the death sentences issued for political prisoners and prisoners who are not well-known proves that the regime is determined to suppress and intimidate the people and, once again, called for solidarity to stop the execution machine.

The hashtag #NoToExecution trended among Iranian social media users after a message posted on the X account of jailed Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi announced that 61 women political prisoners in Evin Prison will go on a hunger strike on January 25.

“The imprisoned women, to keep the names of the executed alive and to [save] hundreds of individuals in the prisons of the Islamic Republic awaiting execution, will resist,” the message read.

The announcement followed the arbitrary execution of Mohammad Ghobadlou, a 23-year-old protester with a mental disability who was sentenced to death for allegedly killing a police officer during nationwide protests in September 2022.