A group of political prisoners across Iran have initiated a hunger strike to protest a recent surge in executions, according to human rights activists. The protest includes inmates in several high-security prisons, including Evin and Ghezel Hesar, who are demanding an immediate halt to the death sentences being handed down.
The hunger strike comes amid the continuation of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign — a weekly prison protest now in its twelfth week — which aims to raise awareness about Iran’s frequent use of the death penalty.
Sources inside prisons report that in recent days the government has secretly executed numerous non-political prisoners. Many inmates have consequently been transferred to solitary confinement, particularly in Ghezel Hesar and other facilities, signaling that more executions could follow. Inmates describe the situation as a new wave of intimidation from judicial and security authorities.
Protest participation has grown: inmates in prisons such as Karaj Central, Khorramabad, Mashhad, Khoy, Saqqez, Naghadeh, and others have joined the movement in solidarity.
Human rights groups note that Iran’s execution rate has escalated significantly in recent years, especially following the widespread protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022. Amnesty International reported that in 2023 alone, Iran carried out at least 853 executions — a 48 percent increase compared to the prior year.
In response to mounting international pressure, the United Nations Human Rights Council renewed the mandate of its special rapporteur for Iran on April 4, 2023, to continue monitoring human rights violations in the country.