Political prisoners across Iran observed the 101st consecutive Tuesday of hunger strikes on Tuesday, as part of the ongoing “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign, highlighting escalating resistance against the regime’s use of capital punishment.
The protest, which began in January 2024, involves inmates in at least 55 prison cells nationwide refraining from food every Tuesday to demand an end to executions. This sustained action has gained renewed urgency amid a sharp rise in state-sanctioned killings, with reports indicating more than 96 prisoners executed in the past eight days alone, including a woman hanged at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.
The prisoners’ defiance coincides with broader unrest sweeping the country. On Monday, December 29, widespread demonstrations against deteriorating economic conditions, including a plummeting rial, culminated in the resignation of Central Bank Governor Mohammad Reza Farzin. Protests erupted in Tehran and other major cities, marking the largest wave of public dissent since 2022.
A statement from campaign organizers underscored the intersection of incarcerated resistance and street-level activism, noting that Tehran’s bazaar merchants have been on strike since Sunday, protesting government tyranny, economic hardship, and corruption. These actions have reportedly expanded to cities including Ahvaz, Kerman, and Mashhad, despite intensified security measures and crackdowns by authorities.
Human rights groups have documented a doubling of executions in Iran throughout 2025, with at least 1,500 verified cases by early December, underscoring the regime’s reliance on capital punishment amid mounting internal pressures. The “No to Execution Tuesdays” movement, now in its second year, represents a rare, sustained challenge from within the prison system, drawing international attention to Iran’s human rights record.
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