Iran Prison Hunger Strike Prompts Prisoners to Sew Their Lips

At the Gelez Hesar prison near Tehran, a hunger strike involving at least 1,500 death‑row inmates began two weeks ago after six men convicted of drug‑related offenses were moved to isolation before possible execution. Prisoners have sewn their own lips as a protest; videos released by Iran‑based human‑rights groups show detainees holding signs that read “No to executions” and pleading for a voice. Guard officials have not responded to the strike, and medical assistance has been denied, with inmates reporting worsening health conditions.

The protest is part of a larger campaign that started in January 2024, amid a sharp increase in Iran’s use of the death penalty, particularly for drug offenses. Iran Human Rights, based in Oslo, reports at least 424 executions this year and hundreds more awaiting execution. The surge in executions has coincided with heightened tensions between Iran and the United States, including a recent abrupt pause in a two‑week U.S. bombing campaign that was threatened to resume if negotiations fail.