In early December of this year, in a collective action, more than a thousand prisoners sentenced to death in Qazalhessar prison in Karaj went on a hunger strike; this strike was in response to the transfer of eleven prisoners to solitary cells for the execution of their sentences.

This hunger strike, which is in protest against the wave of mass executions and the perceived danger to the fate of prisoners sentenced to death, did not continue for more than a few days and ended with no result and disappeared from the news. Perhaps the repetition of the execution issue caused this news to not be paid attention to as it should have been; although in any case, such news and events are the best opportunity to raise awareness in society about the death penalty and to strive for its abolition and reduction.

Qazal Hasar Prison in Karaj, with approximately 15,000 prisoners, is considered one of the largest prisons in the Middle East. What is more important is that the segregation and division of prisoners in different units of this prison is such that the majority of death row inmates are imprisoned together in one of the units; Unit 2 of Qazal Hasar Prison in Karaj has a capacity of approximately 5,000 people, the majority of whom are death row inmates convicted of drug-related crimes.

This was the umpteenth mass strike in Qezel Hessar prison in Karaj. As an example, in June 2013, more than two thousand prisoners from Unit 2 of this prison went on a hunger strike in protest against the disappearance of one of the former prison guards, the management of this unit, as well as the lack of welfare facilities and lack of judicial attention.

Even prisoners refused to negotiate with prison authorities and declared that they would not end their strike until the removal of the new chief, but ultimately this strike ended with the transfer of more than thirty prisoners to solitary confinement and the threats and lies of prison officials.

According to the prisoners, this prison guard had previously issued orders to shoot at protesting prisoners in the winter of 1389 and had played a direct role in the shooting and killing of prisoners.

On February 14, 2011, a group of prisoners from Unit 2 of Qezel Hesar Prison in Karaj took control of a section of the prison for a few hours. During the clash between special forces and rebellious prisoners, some of them were killed and others were injured.

The prison organization had stated in its report that the rebellious prisoners were wicked individuals who had been sentenced to death. Additionally, at that time, the organization claimed that the prisoners intended to cause destruction in the prison, and at that moment, special prison forces intervened and were able to suppress the rebellion with great force.

According to human rights sources, the reason for this uprising was protest against the poor conditions in the prison and the halt of the execution of ten prisoners. Approximately three thousand protesting prisoners initially began their protest by going on a hunger strike and chanting slogans such as “executions must be stopped”. The protests escalated and resulted in breaking down the prison doors. The prisoners then managed to reach the prison yard and attempted to escape by climbing the prison walls.

Human rights sources mentioned “hundreds of people” as the number of casualties and injuries, and listed the cause of their deaths as direct firing of real bullets, estimating only the number of injuries caused by military bullets to be over one hundred and fifty.

Prisoners sentenced to death are held in Qezel Hesar prison, in their self-organized struggle, without any organized structures, resources, or even sufficient attention from human rights defenders in Iran, they did not settle for hunger strikes or internal prison confrontations. As an example of their efforts to bring this protest and struggle outside of the prison, last year, dozens of families of these individuals went to Pasteur Street and in front of the Leader’s house twice, to peacefully gather and make their voices of protest and demand for their execution to be heard by the authorities. However, as always, the evil alliance of the judicial and security system responded to them with iron fists and mass executions of prisoners.

Despite the fact that the prisoners sentenced to execution in Qezel Hesar are mostly from marginalized and even illiterate sectors of society, they have come to understand the power of human rights organizations and institutions as a powerful tool in this struggle. In addition to numerous daily correspondences with officials and government institutions, these organizations have recognized the power of human rights organizations and institutions as a powerful tool in this struggle. According to reliable information, human rights organizations receive daily calls and reports from Qezel Hesar prisoners and respond to their requests through all possible means.

About Qazal Hasar, the beating heart of the fight against execution in Iran, can still be written, but above all, it is enough to understand the quality and serious determination for this relentless struggle that is ongoing in prisons; an understanding that carries a clear historical responsibility for human rights defenders. In Iran, there has always been a fight to abolish execution, at least in recent decades, under various titles. However, neglect and disregard for the powerful force of prisoners who, whether based on belief or fear of death, unite and pay the cost of this struggle with their lives, will be a great mistake on the part of human rights activists.

Iran, under the rule of the Islamic Republic, has traditionally and consistently been at the top of the list of countries with the highest number of executions per year. In terms of per capita executions, it ranks first among countries in the world. This is despite the fact that with the increase in executions this year, it has also set a new record. (5)

Thousands of prisoners sentenced to execution in Iranian prisons and the aforementioned prison are the highest capital and human resources possible in the fight against execution, who have the maximum determination and seriousness to fight considering their conditions. These victims, who have portrayed their will to save themselves in every possible way for Iranian civil society, need more attention from the media, organizations, and human rights activists to become a model for other silent victims of this sentence throughout the country under the protection of Iranian society, by reducing the heavy cost of this struggle for them.

Sources:

Execution of 11 suspects of drug trafficking in Ghazl Hasar, Hrana News Agency, 5 December 2013.

2- A protest strike by 2100 prisoners at Qezelhesar Prison in Karaj, on the same day, 1st of Khordad 1392.

3- The bloody uprising of Qezel Hesar prisoners was suppressed, Voice of America website, 25 Esfand 1389.

4- Hundreds killed and injured in Qezelhesar Prison in protest against the execution orders, HRANA News Agency, 25 Esfand 1389.

5- Expressing Concern of Human Rights Groups about the Increase in Executions in Iran, BBC Persian Website, October 9, 2013.