{"id":345189,"date":"2026-05-19T10:31:07","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T09:31:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=345189"},"modified":"2026-05-19T10:32:54","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T09:32:54","slug":"iranian-hunger-strike-campaign-reaches-121st-week-as-no-to-execution-tuesdays-expands-to-56-prisons-nationwide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/human-rights\/iranian-hunger-strike-campaign-reaches-121st-week-as-no-to-execution-tuesdays-expands-to-56-prisons-nationwide\/","title":{"rendered":"Iranian Hunger Strike Campaign Reaches 121st Week As \u2018No to Execution Tuesdays\u2019 Expands to 56 Prisons Nationwide"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Watchtowers
Watchtowers and perimeter fences at Fashafuyeh Prison, south of Tehran<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In a defiant, coordinated show of resistance against the escalating use of the death penalty, political prisoners across Iran marked the 121st consecutive week of the “No to Execution Tuesdays<\/a>” campaign on May 19, 2026. Striking inmates issued a scathing joint statement characterizing state-sanctioned killings as the regime\u2019s primary tool to crush public dissent and stave off its own collapse.<\/p>\n

The hunger strike has expanded rapidly, now encompassing 56 different detention facilities throughout the country. Striking detainees emphasize that opposing the death penalty is an absolute necessity for defending the fundamental right to life in Iran.<\/p>\n

Weaponized Executions and Militarized Streets<\/h2>\n

The campaign\u2019s statement<\/a> highlights a stark intensification of domestic repression over the past two months. Inmates report that authorities have effectively militarized city streets, utilizing regime loyalists to conduct public weapons training. Crucially, the statement condemns the “instrumental use of children” in these public displays, describing it as a systematic effort to normalize state violence and intimidate potential protesters.<\/p>\n

The strike comes on the heels of several high-profile executions that have sparked fresh outrage:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Political Target:<\/strong> In Zahedan Prison, authorities hanged Baluch political prisoner Abduljalil Shahbakhsh<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  • Retaliation Against Protesters:<\/strong> In another recent execution, Mohammad Abbasi, a dissident detained during the nationwide uprisings, was put to death for his participation in the protests. Concurrently, his daughter, Fatemeh Abbasi, is currently serving a 25-year sentence at Evin Prison.<\/li>\n
  • Non-Political Inmates:<\/strong> The statement notes that alongside political dissidents, dozens of young Iranians are being sent to the gallows daily on non-political charges to manufacture a pervasive atmosphere of fear.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    \n

    Iran's authorities are trampling upon children\u2019s rights\u00a0and committing a grave violation of\u00a0international humanitarian law\u00a0amounting to\u00a0a war crime by recruiting children as young as 12 into a military campaign led by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. https:\/\/t.co\/nRfBRAR8wA<\/a><\/p>\n

    — Amnesty Iran (@AmnestyIran) April 2, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n