Prisoners at Iran's largest jail, Ghezel Hesar near Tehran, have sewn their lips shut as part of a mass hunger strike involving at least 1,500 death row prisoners. The protest began two weeks ago, according to Iranian rights groups, after six men convicted on drug-related charges were transferred to solitary confinement ahead of possible execution.
The hunger strike is a response to a reported surge in executions for drug offences and charges linked to anti-government protests. Videos shared by rights groups in exile show prisoners holding placards and chanting, with one video depicting a prisoner having his lips stitched together.
According to the Oslo-based non-profit Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO), at least 424 executions have been carried out this year, with many more prisoners on death row. Most of these executions were in drug-related cases. Amnesty International states that revolutionary courts, which handle national security and drug-related offences, often impose harsh sentences, including death sentences, after what they describe as unfair trials.