More than 1,000 inmates at Iran's Ghezel Hesar Prison have entered a third week of a mass hunger strike to protest the regime's executions. Some prisoners have resorted to sewing their lips shut to draw attention to their demands, according to reports from human rights groups.
The escalating demonstration at the U.S.-sanctioned prison in Karaj, near Tehran, highlights international concern over Iran's extensive use of capital punishment, particularly for drug-related offenses.
The hunger strike began on July 13, after six inmates were moved to solitary confinement in anticipation of their executions. Other Iranian human rights organizations have stated that the prisoners were convicted of drug-related crimes.
Reports indicate that the striking prisoners have been chanting "No to Execution" and have undertaken extreme actions, including sewing their lips shut. One media outlet cited a video appearing to show an inmate stating he would sew his lips shut due to a lack of response from prison officials six days into the hunger strike. The video also appears to show an unseen individual stitching the inmate's lips shut with a needle and thread.
The exiled Iranian opposition group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), stated on July 27 that the prisoners in Unit 2 of Ghezel Hesar Prison are in "deteriorating physical condition" due to the hunger strike. The NCRI also reported that prison guards have not provided medical care despite the inmates' urgent need.
The striking prisoners have urged the public, human rights organizations, and international bodies to take action to halt the executions. This marks the second significant demonstration at the facility in recent months. A similar protest occurred in October 2025, when over 1,500 inmates staged a six-day hunger strike. That protest concluded after judicial and prison officials visited the facility and pledged to temporarily halt executions and review cases, though human rights activists report these promises were not fulfilled.
The State Department designated and sanctioned Ghezel Hesar Prison in 2024 for severe human rights violations and cruel treatment of prisoners. At the time of the designation, then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken cited "multiple severe beatings of political prisoners engaged in a peaceful hunger strike to protest the increased wave of executions being carried out at the facility."
According to Amnesty International, Iran executed at least 2,159 people in 2025. This figure contributed to a global total of at least 2,707 executions recorded by Amnesty International across 17 countries, the highest number the organization has documented since 1981, excluding China where execution data is classified.