On September 30, 2025, the 88th week of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign took place across 52 prisons in Iran, as activists once again protested the country’s relentless use of the death penalty and the appalling conditions faced by prisoners.
In a statement marking this week, the campaign paid tribute to Somayeh Rashidi, a political prisoner who died due to the denial of medical care. The campaign described her death as “part of the policy of ‘slow execution’ of prisoners and a bitter warning about the conditions of sick inmates in the country’s prisons – prisoners who have been deprived of the most basic human rights.” They extended their “sincere condolences to her family and loved ones.”
The statement also condemned recent executions and death sentences, including the execution of Bahman Choubi Asl on espionage charges on September 29, 2025, and death sentences issued to Hamed Validi, Nima Shahi, and Peyman Farahavar. The campaign described these rulings as “blatant violations of human rights and tools of oppression that must be stopped immediately.”
Ms. Mai Sato, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, highlighted the widespread violations of prisoners’ rights in Iran, drawing international attention to the dire situation. The campaign emphasized the scale of the crisis, noting that “46 people were executed in the past week, 190 executions in the month of Shahrivar — unprecedented in the past 35 years — and 871 executions in the first six months of 1404 (since March 21, 2025),” painting “a horrific picture of the merciless violation of human rights.”
The “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign reiterated its call for an immediate halt to executions, urging global solidarity with prisoners: “Every act of protest against a
death sentence is a step toward halting this cruel process. We call on all opponents of the death penalty to raise their voices against these inhuman rulings.”
On September 30, 2025, hunger strikes were held simultaneously in 52 prisons nationwide, including Evin, Qezel Hesar, Karaj Central, Greater Tehran, Qarchak, and Mashhad Prisons, among others, demonstrating the resilience and commitment of activists to fight against state-sanctioned executions.
The campaign concluded by emphasizing that unity and solidarity are essential to stopping the machinery of execution in Iran and expressed gratitude to supporters worldwide who continue to resist the inhumane policies of the regime.