Iran prisoners launch hunger strikes in 141st week of anti-execution campaign

The “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign has entered its 141st week, with political prisoners in 66 Iranian prisons participating in hunger strikes to protest the country’s rising rate of executions. The protesters are demanding the immediate cancellation of all death sentences, characterizing the death penalty as a tool of state-sanctioned murder used to silence dissent and suppress protests.

According to a report by Amnesty International cited in the campaign statement, the Iranian government executed at least 2,159 people in 2025, the highest recorded statistics in the world. The campaign highlights that the execution apparatus functions alongside detention, torture, and forced confessions as a pillar of government repression.

In response to these trends, 46 countries issued a joint statement during the 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, condemning the increasing use of the death penalty in Iran, particularly against protesters, women, and young people.