Tuesday, September 15, 2026 — In the 138th consecutive week of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign, prisoners in 62 prisons across Iran staged a hunger strike on Tuesday, September 15, protesting the issuance and implementation of death sentences and reaffirming their opposition to the death penalty.
The ongoing protest comes amid intensified security pressure, threats, restrictions on communication with the outside world, and punitive measures against participating prisoners. Despite these pressures, the prisoners have continued their weekly hunger strikes, emphasizing their opposition to executions and their defense of the right to life.
After 138 consecutive weeks, and with participation extending to 62 prisons across the country, the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign has become one of the most sustained and widespread organized prison protest movements in Iran against the death penalty.
Campaign Honors Victims of the 2022 Nationwide Protests
In its statement this week, the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign honored the protesters and victims of the nationwide uprising of 2022 and reaffirmed its support for the continuing popular struggle for freedom, equality, and democracy.
The campaign stated:
“We salute our compatriots who, exhausted by the oppression and injustice of the rulers, took to the streets to demand their rights and shouted for freedom. Despite brutal repression, these protests did not disappear. Like a fire smoldering beneath the ashes, they erupted again in December 2025 and continue to this day, until they reach their ultimate destination: freedom, equality, democracy, and the establishment of a government of the people.”
Executions and New Death Sentences Continue
The campaign says that the ruling regime, which it describes as a medieval system that sees its survival as dependent on repression and executions, issued new death sentences this week and carried out executions against a number of prisoners.
According to the campaign, at least 61 people have been executed since the beginning of Shahrivar 1405, corresponding to August 23, 2026.
Among the latest cases cited by the campaign are:
- Alireza Sepahi, a young man arrested during the December 2025 uprising and sentenced to death in the case known as the “Alikhani Square” case, has reportedly been transferred to solitary confinement.
- Arghavan Fallahi, a political prisoner sentenced to death, has reportedly had her request for a retrial rejected at Evin Prison.
- Marzieh (Soda) Ebrahimi, a prisoner arrested during the December 2025 protests in Bandar Abbas, has reportedly been sentenced to death.
- Hossein Rasouli-Nassab, arrested in connection with the December 2025 protests in Mashhad, has also reportedly received a death sentence.
Student Activists Face Repression and Risk of Execution
The campaign also warned of intensified repression against students.
It said that the “Velayat-e Faqih” regime, seeking to create fear among university students, has charged a student identified as Mohammad-Parsa Golchin with baghi (armed rebellion against the state), an offense that can carry the death penalty.
The campaign described the move as an attempt by a regime fearful of another uprising to silence universities—the “stronghold of freedom, equality, and resistance”—as the new academic year approaches.
International Protests and Calls for Action
This week, Iranians living abroad held rallies in several cities, including Paris, Cologne, and London, to mark the anniversary of the 2022 nationwide uprising and express support for the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign.
A demonstration is also scheduled to take place on Tuesday outside the United Nations headquarters in Vienna, coinciding with the prisoners’ hunger strike.
In Iranian Kurdistan, a call has been issued for a region-wide strike on Wednesday. According to the campaign, authorities, fearful of renewed protests, have threatened shopkeepers in several cities, including Saqqez.
Former UN Special Rapporteur Supports the Campaign
Javaid Rehman, the former UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, has also voiced opposition to executions and expressed support for the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign.
The campaign calls on the United Nations Third Committee, Mai Sato, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, other UN human rights experts, and all members of the international community to condemn the widespread human rights violations, repression of the Iranian people, and mass executions carried out by the Iranian authorities.
It also calls for practical measures to stop executions and repression in Iran.
The campaign further urges people inside and outside Iran to take a firm and practical stand against the death penalty.
Full Statement of the No to Execution Tuesdays Campaign
Week 138: The Campaign Continues in 62 Iranian Prisons
The UN Third Committee must take immediate and effective action to stop executions in Iran.
As the fourth anniversary of the 2022 nationwide uprising approaches, which began following the brutal killing of Jina (Mahsa) Amini by the ruling dictatorship, the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign salutes all those who lost their lives during the uprising, particularly the courageous women who played a leading role in the protests.
The names of nearly 700 protesters who were killed by the forces of the blood-soaked regime have been published.
We also salute our compatriots who, exhausted by the oppression and injustice of the rulers, took to the streets to demand their rights and shouted for freedom. Despite brutal repression, these protests did not disappear. Like a fire smoldering beneath the ashes, they erupted again in December 2025 and continue to this day, until they reach their ultimate destination: freedom, equality, democracy, and the establishment of a government of the people.
The medieval ruling system, which considers its survival dependent on the repression and execution of the people, issued death sentences for a number of prisoners this week and brutally sent others to the gallows.
At least 61 people have been executed since the beginning of Shahrivar.
According to reports, Alireza Sepahi, one of the young people arrested during the December uprising and sentenced to death in the case known as the “Alikhani Square” case, has been transferred to solitary confinement.
The retrial request of political prisoner Arghavan Falahi, who has been sentenced to death, was rejected at Evin Prison. Death sentences have also reportedly been issued for two prisoners arrested during the December 2025 protests: Marzieh (Soda) Ebrahimi in Bandar Abbas and Hossein Rasouli-Nasab in Mashhad.
At the same time, the “Velayat-e Faqih” regime has charged a student, Mohammad-Parsa Golchin, with baghi in an attempt to create fear among university students. He is now at risk of receiving a death sentence.
A regime fearful of revolution is issuing such sentences in an attempt to silence the voice of universities—the stronghold of freedom, equality, and resistance—as the new academic year begins.
This week, groups of Iranians living abroad held rallies in several cities, including Paris, Cologne, and London, to mark the anniversary of the 2022 nationwide uprising and support the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign.
A demonstration is also scheduled for Tuesday outside the United Nations headquarters in Vienna, coinciding with the campaign members’ hunger strike.
In the coming week, a nationwide strike has been called for Wednesday in Kurdistan. The regime, fearful of another uprising, has threatened shopkeepers in several cities, including Saqqez.
Javaid Rehman, the former UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, has taken a position against executions and expressed support for the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign.
The “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign calls on the UN Third Committee, Ms. Mai Sato, other UN rapporteurs, and all members of the international community to condemn the widespread human rights violations, repression of the Iranian people, and mass executions carried out by the Iranian authorities.
The campaign calls for practical measures to stop executions and repression by the ruling regime in Iran.
It also calls on all people in Iran and abroad to take a firm and practical stand against the death penalty.
62 Prisons Join the Week 138 Hunger Strike
On Tuesday, September 15, 2026, during the 138th week of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign, members were on hunger strike in the following 62 prisons:
- Evin Prison — Women’s and Men’s Wards
- Qezel Hesar Prison — Units 2, 3, and 4
- Karaj Central Prison
- Fardis Prison in Karaj
- Great Tehran Prison
- Qarchak Prison
- Khorin Prison in Varamin
- Choobindar Prison in Qazvin
- Ahar Prison
- Arak Prison
- Langaroud Prison in Qom
- Khorramabad Prison
- Borujerd Prison
- Yasuj Prison
- Asadabad Prison in Isfahan
- Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan
- Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz
- Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz — Women’s and Men’s Wards
- Nezam Prison in Shiraz
- Adelabad Prison in Shiraz — Women’s and Men’s Wards
- Firoozabad Prison in Fars
- Dehdasht Prison
- Zahedan Prison — Women’s and Men’s Wards
- Borazjan Prison
- Ramhormoz Prison
- Behbahan Prison
- Bam Prison
- Yazd Prison — Women’s and Men’s Wards
- Kahnuj Prison
- Tabas Prison
- Birjand Central Prison
- Mashhad Prison
- Gorgan Prison
- Sabzevar Prison
- Gonbad-e Kavus Prison
- Qaemshahr Prison
- Rasht Prison — Men’s and Women’s Wards
- Roodsar Prison
- Haviq Prison in Talesh
- Ezbaram Prison in Lahijan
- Dizelabad Prison in Kermanshah
- Ardabil Prison
- Tabriz Prison
- Urmia Prison
- Salmas Prison
- Khoy Prison
- Naqadeh Prison
- Miandoab Prison
- Mahabad Prison
- Bukan Prison
- Saqqez Prison
- Baneh Prison
- Marivan Prison
- Sanandaj Prison
- Kamyaran Prison
- Ilam Prison
- Kerman Prison
- Borujen Prison
- Neyshabur Prison
- Gachsaran Prison
- Noor Prison
- Iranshahr Prison
Week 138
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
No to Execution Tuesdays Campaign
