/ IHRights#Iran: Hossein Amaninejad and Hamed Yavari were executed in Hamedan Central Prison on 11 June. Hossein was arrested… https://t.co/3lnMTwFH6z13 Jun

One-Year Anniversary of No Death Penalty Tuesdays: "Strategic Campaign for Today and Our Future”

28 Jan
One-Year Anniversary of No Death Penalty Tuesdays: "Strategic Campaign for Today and Our Future”

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); January 28, 2025: To mark the one-year anniversary of the “No Death Penalty” abolitionist movement, IHRNGO hosted a Space on X (Twitter) where human rights activists from inside and outside Iran discussed the movement. 

Jailed human rights defender, Ahmadreza Haeri, who was one of the founding members of the campaign, sent a message from Ghezelhesar Prison which was read by Ghazal Abdollahi in the Space. He wrote: “When we started the ‘No Death Penalty Tuesdays’ campaign, in the back of mind, I thought we must one day reach a free, democratic and developed Iran that recognises and respects the rights of all its citizens, regardless of their identity, language, religion or beliefs. I believe deeply that ‘No Death Penalty’ is a strategic campaign for both today and our future. If we all agree on just this one principle of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and make the right to life an unbreakable red line, we can hope for a brighter future and transitional justice. We can ensure that our tomorrow will not fall back into tyranny after today’s struggles.”

Iran Human Rights Director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam welcomed Ahmadreza Haeri’s message and emphasised the importance of standing firm on the fundamental human rights principle of "No Death Penalty" under all circumstances and for any charge. He highlighted the importance of persistence and continuity in fighting for the abolition of the death penalty.

Amiry-Moghaddam also stressed the role of grassroots efforts against the death penalty, both inside and outside the country, in increasing the political cost of carrying out executions. He stated: "Those who rule Iran today are the same people who, in the 1980s, executed political prisoners en masse without trials. However, due to the high political costs resulting from public and international reactions, they can no longer repeat those crimes against political prisoners. Unfortunately, the execution of ordinary crimes defendants continues at a rapid pace because these executions don’t incite the same public backlash, and the government has normalised the execution of individuals accused of drug-related offences and murder. Society must not tolerate daily executions no matter what the charges are. One of the key impacts of the 'No Death Penalty Tuesdays' campaign could be making every single execution unbearable."

Maryam Hassani, the daughter of political prisoner Mehdi Hassani who is currently at risk of execution, joined the Space to speak about her father’s case and the consequential  pain and suffering inflicted on her family. Mehdi Hassani and Behrouz Ehsani were taken from Evin Prison under false pretences to Ghezelhesar Prison. The two political prisoners are currently held in the pre-execution cells of Ghezelhesar and at grave risk of execution.

Some of the speakers included Mostafa Saber from the Global Campaign to Stop Executions, human rights activist Ghazal Abdollahi, Sholeh Pakravan, human rights activist and the mother of executed Reyhaneh Jabari, human rights defender Mojgan Keshavarz, Moein Khazaeli from Dadban, veteran journalist Ahmad Rafat.


 

About No Death Penalty Tuesdays

After bearing witness to months of weekly group executions in Karaj, the execution of several political prisoners in January 2024, and the crackdown of the protest by ordinary crimes death row prisoners, a group of brave political prisoners in Ghezelhesar Prison staged a protest which was also violently suppressed. The diverse group of political prisoners from different backgrounds and beliefs thus began a weekly hunger strike on 30th January that became known as “Black Tuesdays” and “No Death Penalty Tuesdays.” They chose Tuesdays for that is the day death row inmates are typically transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for the gallows in Ghezelhesar Prison.

In August 2024, 68 Iranian and international rights organisations from four continents signed a joint statement in support and solidarity with the "No Death Penalty Tuesdays" abolitionist movement in Iranian prisons and called for international support.

On 8 October 2024, ahead of the "World Day Against the Death Penalty" and during the 37th week of the prisoners’ hunger strike, a wide range of Iranian and international human rights activists participated in a 24-hour livestream organised by Iran Human Rights and the Global Campaign Against Executions in Iran. This event aimed to show solidarity with the prisoners' campaign and emphasise the collective effort needed to end executions and abolish the inhumane death penalty in Iran.

One year after it was established, prisoners in at least 34 prisons have joined the "No Death Penalty Tuesdays" movement. According to the campaign’s statement to mark the 52nd week, hunger strikes were carried out in the following prisons:

Evin Prison (Women's Ward, Wards 4 and 8), Ghezelhesar Prison (Units 3 and 4), Karaj Penitentiary (Central Prison), Greater Tehran Penitentiary, Khoreyn Varamin Prison, Arak Central Prison, Khorramabad Central Prison, Isfahan (Dastgerd) Central Prison, Asadabad Prison, Isfahan, Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz, Shiraz (Adel Abad) Central Prison (men and women’s wards) Nezam Prison, Shiraz, Bam Prison, Kahnuj Prison, Tabas Prison, Mashhad (Vakil Abad) Central Prison, Ghaemshahr Prison, Rasht Central Prison (men and women’s wards), Roudsar Prison, Ardabil Central Prison, Tabriz Central Prison, Urmia Central Prison, Salmas Prison, Khoy Prison, Naghdeh Prison, Saqqez Prison, Baneh Prison, Marivan Prison, Kamyaran Prison, Havigh Talesh Prison, Gilan, Jovin Prison, Khorasan Razavi, Borazjan Prison, Bushehr.