The 50th Week of “No to Execution Tuesdays” Across 30 Prisons, Accompanied by 8 Protests and Demonstrations
7-January-2025
Category: Labor and guilds، Prisoners، protesters
January 7, 2025
News Group: Protests – Prisoners – Workers and Guilds
Breathing in Confinement: on Tuesday, January 7, at least 38 protests and demonstrations were held by various groups of people and political prisoners.
According to the Statistical Center of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, the 50th week of the political prisoners’ hunger strike against the death penalty, known as “Protest Tuesdays Against the Death Penalty,” extended to 30 prisons nationwide. In a statement, prisoners highlighted that since late December 2024, over 80 people have been executed, and 1,000 executions in 2024 set a new record for crimes against humanity.
The hunger strike protesting the death penalty continued in numerous prisons, including Tehran’s Great Prison, Evin Prison (women’s ward, Ward 4, Ward 6, Ward 8), Ghezel Hesar Prison (Units 3 and 4), central prisons in Karaj, Khorramabad, Naghadeh, Khoy, Mashhad, Saqqez, Ardabil, Qaemshahr, Urmia, Marivan, Kamyaran, Baneh, Salmas, Shiraz, Rasht, Bam, Tabriz, Arak, Kahnuj, Asadabad, and Dastgerd in Isfahan, as well as prisons in Tabas, Khorin Varamin, Roudsar, Ahvaz, and Ramhormoz.
Protests also broke out in several cities:
• Residents of the Mehr Housing Complex in Bandar Abbas protested in front of the provincial governor’s office against increased loan installments.
• Municipal safety officers and guards demonstrated outside the Tehran City Council, protesting the lack of employment contracts after 18 years of service, excessive tax deductions, and the addition of subcontractors, which they claimed undermined workers’ rights. They chanted: “We’re waiting for Zakani. We’re not leaving. We’re staying here!”
• Victims of fraud by Rezayat Khodro Taravat Novin Company protested and marched in Qazvin, moving from the judiciary office to the governor’s office, demanding action on their grievances. They chanted: “Shout, shout, demand your rights!”
• Families of victims of the Ukrainian plane crash held a protest in Shahed Shahr, at the site of the crash, on the fifth anniversary of the downing of the Ukrainian plane.
• Workers of the Iran Afagh Company at the Yadavaran Oil Field staged their 15th day of strikes and protests, demanding salary increases and timely payment of wages.
• SMA patients demonstrated outside the Ministry of Health, protesting the high cost of domestically produced medications and demanding that the government cover the cost of these drugs under special disease budgets.
• Residents of Arak protested against the burning of mazut at the Shazand power plant, which has caused severe air pollution. Protesters chanted: “Burning mazut is treason!”
• Workers of the Bayer Aflak pharmaceutical company in Azna protested the non-payment of four months’ worth of wages and benefits.