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Iranian political prisoner Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani wins prestigious Magnitsky Human Rights Award
Iranian political prisoner Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, a boxing champion and supporter of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) who has spent nearly seven years behind bars and faces execution, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Magnitsky Award for Outstanding Human Rights Activist.
The prestigious international award recognizes his courage in standing against political repression and defending fundamental human rights despite years of imprisonment, torture, and repeated death sentences by the Iranian regime.
The official award announcement describes Vafaei Sani’s case as a symbol of the persecution of peaceful dissent in Iran and highlights the international campaign for his release and the annulment of his death sentence.
The formal award ceremony is scheduled for November 12 in London, where British Member of Parliament Bob Blackman, chair of the British Committee for Iran Freedom, will present the award.
The recognition comes at a critical moment for Vafaei Sani, whose death sentence was upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court in October 2025 and subsequently forwarded for implementation.
66 Prisons mark 146th week of ‘No to Executions Tuesdays’ as Iran’s death toll mounts
On Tuesday, November 10, 2026, prisoners across 66 different penal facilities in Iran launched a coordinated hunger strike to mark the 146th consecutive week of the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign.
The widespread protest comes as political prisoners continue to push back against the regime’s systematic use of the death penalty, demonstrating a highly organized resistance despite severe retaliation. Over the past weeks, participating inmates have faced escalating security pressures, direct threats, strict limitations on their communication with the outside world, and various punitive measures designed to exhaust them and silence their protests.
However, despite the regime’s relentless attempts to break their spirit, the campaign has transformed into a symbol of unwavering defiance over the course of nearly three years. By staging hunger strikes week after week, the prisoners boldly reaffirm their opposition to capital punishment and their defense of the fundamental right to life.
Iran’s Bank Lending Surges 66%, but Most Industrial Credit Still Goes to Keeping Factories Running
New Central Bank figures show that nearly 89% of loans to industry and mining are financing day-to-day operations, raising questions about how Iran can fund reconstruction and expand production amid an economic contraction and rising banking costs.
Iran’s banks increased lending by nearly 66% in the first seven months of 2026, but almost nine-tenths of credit to industry and mining went toward financing existing operations rather than creating or expanding production capacity, according to new Central Bank figures.
The banking system disbursed 9,241.3 trillion tomans during the seven months ending October 22, up 65.9% from a year earlier, according to the Central Bank’s November 5 report.
Businesses received 77.4% of the lending, while households accounted for 22.6%.
Yet 88.7% of loans to industry and mining were classified as working capital, highlighting the demands on a financial system struggling to sustain production while Iran’s economy contracts and investment declines.
PMOI Supporters in Hamburg Rally in Solidarity with Iran’s “Tuesdays Against Executions” Campaign.
Hamburg, Germany – November 10, 2026: Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a gathering in Hamburg in solidarity with the 146th week of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign, expressing their support for prisoners across Iran who continue to protest against the death penalty and demand justice and freedom.
The gathering highlighted the ongoing resistance of prisoners in 66 prisons across Iran, where inmates have designated every Tuesday as a day of protest and resistance against executions. Despite the harsh conditions behind prison walls, they remain determined to continue their struggle until the abolition of the death penalty and the establishment of social justice in Iran.
Participants in the Hamburg gathering emphasized that these prisoners represent the voice of a nation seeking freedom and an end to executions. Their protest sends a powerful message of defiance against a practice that continues to claim lives and violate the most fundamental human rights.
The supporters of the PMOI called on freedom-loving people, human rights advocates, and all those committed to human dignity to join the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign and amplify the voices of prisoners who are fighting for their lives behind bars.