Kurdistan Human Rights Network

The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) and 67 other human rights organisations have issued a joint statement in support of the “No Death Penalty Tuesdays” hunger strikes in Iranian prisons, now in their 31st consecutive week.

The strikes, initiated by political prisoners in response to the alarming increase in executions across Iran, aim to draw attention to the country’s widespread use of the death penalty, particularly against marginalised groups.

The statement calls for an immediate halt to all executions and urges the international community to support efforts to abolish the death penalty in Iran.

For more details, the full text of the joint statement is provided below:

In support and solidarity with “No Death Penalty Tuesdays” abolitionist movement in Iran

Every six hours, one person was executed in Iranian prisons in the first 20 days of August. Execution numbers have been rising every year since 2021, with at least 834 people executed in 2023, and 395 executions recorded by Iran Human Rights as of 26th August 2024. Drug-related executions remain the charges that account for more than half of the executions in Iran. Marginalised groups of society and ethnic minorities, in particular the Kurdish and Baluch, are overrepresented among those executed.

The Islamic Republic uses the death penalty as a tool of political repression and death sentences are issued after unfair trials without the minimal standards of due process.

After bearing witness to months of weekly group executions in Karaj and the execution of several political prisoners in January 2024, a group of brave political prisoners* in Ghezelhesar Prison in Karaj staged a protest which was violently suppressed. The diverse group of political prisoners from different backgrounds and beliefs thus began a weekly hunger strike on 30th January that became known as “Black Tuesdays” and “No Death Penalty Tuesdays.” They chose Tuesdays for that is the day death row inmates are typically transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for the gallows in Ghezelhesar Prison.

The weekly mass hunger strikes are now in their 31st week and the movement has spread to 17 other prisons across Iran. The participants remain resolute in their demands against the death penalty despite violent crackdowns.

We, the undersigned organisations, declare our solidarity and support for the “No Death Penalty Tuesdays” movement in Iranian prisons. We call for an immediate halt on all executions with a view to abolish the death penalty in Iran and urge the international community to support the growing abolition movement in Iran.

*Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb, Loghman Aminpour, Meisam Dahbanzadeh, Jafar Ebrahimi, Sepehr Emam Jomeh, Ahmadreza Haeri, Reza Mohammad Hosseini, Saeed Masouri, Reza Salmanzadeh and Hamzeh Savari in alphabetical order

Signatories:

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO)
World Coalition Against the Death Penalty (WCADP)
Impact Iran
Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM)
Defenders of Human Rights Center (Shirin Ebadi)
Harm Reduction International
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN)
International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute
Justice for Iran
6Rang (Iranian Lesbian and Transgender Network)
Kurdistan Human Rights Association-Geneva (KMMK-G)
International Educational Development, Inc (IED)
Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran
Kurdistan Human Rights Network
Haal Vsh
Center for Human Rights in Iran
Balochistan Human Right group
Rasank
Iran Human Rights Documentation Center
United for Iran
Kurdpa Human Rights Organization
HANA Human Rights Organization
Siamak Pourzand Foundation
Ahwaz Human Rights Organisation
Baloch Activists Campaign
Association for the human rights of the Azerbaijani people in Iran (Ahraz)
Hengaw Organization for Human Rights
Hands off Cain
The Advocates for Human Rights, USA
ARTICLE 19
Justice Project Pakistan
European Saudi Organization for Human Rights (ESOHR)
Odhikar, Bangladesh
Cornell Center on the Death Penalty, USA
PEN America
German Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (GCADP)
The Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU)
Death Penalty Focus, USA
The Christian Union for Progress and Human Rights, DRC
Capital Punishment Justice Project, Australia
Amnesty International (Group 205), Dallas
Human Rights Dallas
Southern Methodist University Human Rights Program, USA
Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG), South Korea
Witness to Innocence, USA
Human Rights Association (İnsan Hakları Derneği – İHD), Türkiye
Redemption Pakistan
ACAT, Ghana
French Collective Free Mumia, France
Function 8, Singapore
Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Masyarakat, Indonesia
International Committee Against Execution (ICAE)
Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
United Against Gender Apartheid
Global Campaign to Stop Executions In Iran
All Human Rights for All in Iran
Defence of Human Rights in Iran (LDDHI)
Iranian Citizens’ Initiative Saar (IRBIS)
Parsi Law Collective
NIKA, Network of Iranians for Liberty and Democracy
Iranian’s Socio-Cultural Center of Quebec Simorgh
Global Network to Free Political Prisoners in Iran
Free Iran Switzerland
Solidarity with the women’s revolution of Freedom Life Frankfurt Mainz and Wiesbaden
Alliance for Freedom, Washington DC
Iranian Medical Society for Human Rights and Democracy (Berlin MED)