Iran’s Prisoners Continue ‘No to Execution Tuesdays’ Campaign Across 56 Prisons
As executions surge and mass arrests follow nationwide protests, prisoners warn of secret killings and announce a coordinated hunger strike in the campaign’s 105th week
Written by
Safora Sadidi Mohammadi
Iranian prisoners participating in the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign have announced the continuation of their nationwide protest for the 105th consecutive week, expanding to 56 prisons with the addition of Gorgan Prison. The statement comes as Iran approaches the third year of the campaign, amid an unprecedented escalation of executions and violent repression following the January 2026 uprising.
In their statement, the prisoners expressed solidarity with the families of those killed during the recent protests and paid tribute to the victims of the nationwide uprising of January 2026, describing it as a turning point that shook the foundations of Iran’s ruling system.
“We send our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives on the path to freedom, and thousands of salutes to the martyrs of the January 2026 uprising, which shook the foundations of the fascist ruling system,” they wrote in their statement.
The prisoners emphasized that the scale of repression during the uprising exposed the regime’s nature more clearly than ever before, both domestically and internationally.
“The regime was so terrified by this nationwide uprising that it resorted to a brutal massacre, laying bare its fascist nature in the clearest possible way, in Iran and before the world,” their statement reads in part.
According to the statement, the bloodshed has intensified global outrage. The prisoners pointed to international reactions, including condemnation by UN officials and European institutions: “As a result of this unjustly spilled blood, not only the people of Iran but the world has risen in outrage. Global revulsion toward this regime has reached its peak.”
They cited the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran, Mai Sato, who described the killings as a “crime against humanity” and called for the prosecution of senior officials, alongside unprecedented positions taken by the European Parliament and the UN Human Rights Council.
NCRI Statement: 100th Week of the 'No to Execution Tuesdays' Campaign in #Iranhttps://t.co/3iPK6povKt
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) December 27, 2025
Surge in Executions and Mass Transfers to Prisons
The statement highlights a dramatic increase in executions. In January alone, more than 355 people were executed, followed by the execution of over 50 prisoners in the early days of February, including political prisoners Amanj Karvanchi and Arsalan Sheikhi.
“Not only has the regime not stopped executions, but it has expanded the wave of killing from the gallows to the streets, hospitals, detention centers, and even people’s homes,” their statement warns.
The prisoners reported large-scale transfers of arrested protesters — including injured individuals — into overcrowded prisons across the country. Among the cases cited:
Newly constructed wards in Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz, originally intended to reduce overcrowding, have been turned into quarantine sections for hundreds of newly arrested detainees.
Multiple halls in Karaj Central Prison have been emptied to accommodate new arrests.
Sections of Ghezel Hesar Prison have been cleared, with prisoners transferred from Greater Tehran Prison to make room for new detainees.
Detention centers such as Meqdad are reported to be filled with detained youths.
Warning of Secret Killings and Fabricated Death Reports
The prisoners issued a stark warning about the fate of detainees, particularly in light of the authorities’ refusal to publish official lists of those killed, arrested, or injured: “Given the lack of official disclosure of the names of the killed, detained, and wounded, there are reports that the regime intends to kill many detainees and injured individuals and transfer their bodies to facilities such as Kahrizak morgue, later announcing them as street casualties.”
They warned against heavy sentences, torture, and further killings of those arrested during the recent protests, holding the authorities responsible for their safety.
“No to Execution Tuesdays” Marks Week 102 as #Iran’s Execution Machine Accelerateshttps://t.co/wFnkRFvVhj
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) January 6, 2026
Hunger Strike in 56 Prisons on January 27
In response, members of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign announced a coordinated hunger strike on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, in protest against death sentences and in solidarity with the Iranian people’s uprising.
“We, the imprisoned members of the ‘No to Execution Tuesdays’ campaign, will go on strike in our 105th week, in opposition to death sentences and in support of the people’s uprising,” the prisoners wrote.
The strike is taking place across 56 prisons nationwide, including Evin, Ghezel Hesar, Greater Tehran, Karaj Central, Gharchak, Adel-Abad Shiraz, Sheiban and Sepidar Ahvaz, Zahedan, Mashhad, Tabriz, Urmia, Sanandaj, and Gorgan Prison, among many others.
A Campaign Entering Its Third Year
As the campaign approaches its third anniversary, the prisoners reaffirmed their commitment to resisting the death penalty, exposing state violence, and standing with Iran’s protest movement.
“No to execution, no to repression — resistance continues.”