On Monday, July 13, 2026 (22 Tir 1405), a massive Ghezel Hesar hunger strike erupted in Karaj. Specifically, hundreds of prisoners in Unit 2 refused their rations and staged a collective sit-in. The transfer of five death-row inmates to solitary confinement in preparation for their imminent executions triggered the protest. You can read our Latest news on human rights in Iran to see how resistance inside prisons is growing.
On Monday afternoon, prison authorities transferred Ayoub Asadi, Hamed Nazaryani, Amir Nazaryani, Amin Teymouri, and Seyyed Iman Heydari to solitary confinement.
The five men, who come from Noorabad, Harsin, Kuhdasht, and Tehran, previously received death sentences for drug-related offenses. Their sudden transfer raises immediate fears that officials plan to carry out the executions shortly.
Collective Resistance in Unit 2
In response to the transfers, hundreds of inmates in Unit 2 immediately launched the Ghezel Hesar hunger strike, refusing prison meals and organizing a sit-in to demand an end to the executions.
Many of the protesting prisoners in this ward also face drug-related charges and live under the constant threat of the death penalty. This joint action demonstrates that opposition to the death penalty in Iran is not limited to political or ideological prisoners; it unites ordinary inmates fighting for survival. For more updates on prison conditions, visit our latest news on political prisoners.
The Broader Fight Against the Death Machine
The coordinated protest directly challenges the state’s escalating execution rates. Through the Ghezel Hesar hunger strike, prisoners are risking their own safety to protect their cellmates from the gallows.
The right to life is a fundamental human right, regardless of an individual’s charges. The death penalty is irreversible and leaves no room to correct judicial errors. In addition, drug-related trials in Iran consistently raise serious concerns. This is because defendants lack fair proceedings, independent lawyers, and a proper defense.
This collective protest is a powerful cry from within the prison walls against the state’s use of the death penalty. The inmates are calling for an immediate halt to the executions.
