Joint Letter: 68 Human Rights Organizations Call for Immediate Halt to Executions in Iran

Death Penalty in Iran Used as a “Tool of Political Repression”

August 27, 2024 – In a joint statement released today, the Center for Human Rights in Iran, along with 67 human rights organizations worldwide, expressed support for the “No Death Penalty Tuesdays” hunger strikes taking place in Iranian prisons.

The “No Death Penalty Tuesdays” campaign originated in Iran’s Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, Alborz Province, after the execution of four Kurdish political prisoners in January 2024. Since then, it has spread to over 17 prisons across the country.

“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,” the statement said.

The Islamic Republic, a leading executor globally, has carried out over 395 executions so far in 2024. The Iranian authorities use “the death penalty as a tool of political repression and death sentences are issued after unfair trials without the minimal standards of due process,” the statement noted.

CHRI strongly echoes the letter’s call for an immediate halt to executions in Iran and urges the international community to stand in solidarity with prisoners participating in their weekly hunger strikes.

Read the full letter 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.

* The “No Death Penalty Tuesdays” hunger strikes were started by Ghezelhesar political prisoners 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:

1. 1. Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO)
   2. World Coalition Against the Death Penalty (WCADP)
   3. Impact Iran
   4. Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM)
   5. Defenders of Human Rights Center (Shirin Ebadi)
   6. Harm Reduction International
   7. World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
   8. Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
   9. Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN)
   10. International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute
   11. Justice for Iran
   12. 6Rang (Iranian Lesbian and Transgender Network)
   13. Kurdistan Human Rights Association-Geneva (KMMK-G)
   14. International Educational Development, Inc (IED)
   15. Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran
   16. Kurdistan Human Rights Network
   17. Haal Vsh
   18. Center for Human Rights in Iran
   19. Balochistan Human Right group
   20. Rasank
   21. Iran Human Rights Documentation Center
   22. United for Iran
   23. Kurdpa Human Rights Organization
   24. HANA Human Rights Organization
   25. Siamak Pourzand Foundation
   26. Ahwaz Human Rights Organisation
   27. Baloch Activists Campaign
   28. Association for the human rights of the Azerbaijani people in Iran (Ahraz)
   29. Hengaw Organization for Human Rights
   30. Hands off Cain
   31. The Advocates for Human Rights, USA
   32. ARTICLE 19
   33. Justice Project Pakistan
   34. European Saudi Organization for Human Rights (ESOHR)
   35. Odhikar, Bangladesh
   36. Cornell Center on the Death Penalty, USA
   37. PEN America
   38. German Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (GCADP)
   39. The Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU)
   40. Death Penalty Focus, USA
   41. The Christian Union for Progress and Human Rights, DRC
   42. Capital Punishment Justice Project, Australia
   43. Amnesty International (Group 205), Dallas
   44. Human Rights Dallas
   45. Southern Methodist University Human Rights Program, USA
   46. Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG), South Korea
   47. Witness to Innocence, USA
   48. Human Rights Association (İnsan Hakları Derneği – İHD), Türkiye
   49. Redemption Pakistan
   50. ACAT, Ghana
   51. French Collective Free Mumia, France
   52. Function 8, Singapore
   53. Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Masyarakat, Indonesia
   54. International Committee Against Execution (ICAE)
   55. Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
   56. United Against Gender Apartheid
   57. Global Campaign to Stop Executions In Iran
   58. All Human Rights for All in Iran
   59. Defence of Human Rights in Iran (LDDHI)
   60. Iranian Citizens’ Initiative Saar (IRBIS)
   61. Parsi Law Collective
   62. NIKA, Network of Iranians for Liberty and Democracy
   63. Iranian’s Socio-Cultural Center of Quebec Simorgh
   64. Global Network to Free Political Prisoners in Iran
   65. Free Iran Switzerland
   66. Solidarity with the women’s revolution of Freedom Life Frankfurt Mainz and Wiesbaden
   67. Alliance for Freedom, Washington DC
   68. Iranian Medical Society for Human Rights and Democracy (Berlin MED)