In an unprecedented show of solidarity, Gina Romero, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, has announced that she will join the “No to Executions Tuesdays” hunger strike on 13 October 2026, protesting the escalating use of the death penalty in Iran.
Romero condemned the execution of protesters and serious violations of fair trial guarantees, warning that capital punishment is being used to suppress fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and political participation.
Her decision marks a rare instance of a UN human rights expert personally joining a protest initiated by prisoners. The campaign, which began in Ghezel Hesar Prison, has reportedly spread to 66 prisons across Iran.
Mai Sato, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, also shared Romero’s announcement, drawing further international attention to the campaign against executions.