According to reports, 48 female political prisoners in the notorious Evin Prison in the Iranian capital Tehran will go on hunger strike against death sentences.
According to Nujinha news agency, 48 female political prisoners in Evin Prison will start a hunger strike tonight at 22:00 against the increasing number of death sentences. The strike will last until 22:00 on the night of 25 September.
The number of people executed in Iran is at its highest level since 2015. Those sentenced to death include journalists, human rights defenders, protesters and political activists.
According to Amnesty International, the number of executions in 2023 was the highest since 2015, with a 48% increase compared to 2022 and a 172% increase compared to 2021.
In a new research report published on 4 April, the organisation reported at least 853 executions in 2023. The figures recorded by Amnesty International are the minimum estimates; the actual number of executions is likely to be higher.
The wave of executions in Iran has continued unabated since the beginning of 2024. In August, 29 people were executed in just one day. Civil society organisations say the Iranian state has turned into a ‘veritable killing machine’.
According to Diana Eltahawy, Deputy Middle East and North Africa Director at Amnesty International, the Islamic Republic of Iran ‘uses the death penalty as a tool of political pressure to spread fear among the population.’
