Three death row detained Iranian protesters said in a phone call from the city of Esfahan (Isfahan) prison that they are still alive.

Majid Kazemi, Saleh Mirhashemi, and Saeed Yaqoubi, who are awaiting the death sentence handed down in a trial condemned as a travesty of justice by human rights campaigners, made a phone call to their families Wednesday night, cousin of Kazemi, Mohammad Hashemi said in a tweet.

He also thanked the people who have twice gathered in front of the prison to stop the execution of the three protesters.

The three inmates were convicted over the death of two IRGC’s Basij militia members and a police officer in protests in November last year, in what Persian media have dubbed the ‘Isfahan House’ case.

On Wednesday evening, protesters in cars gathered outside the jail in Esfahan in an attempt to stop the execution of three political prisoners. Security forces’ gunfire was heard around the jail during the protest.

Amnesty International also on Wednesday slammed their trial and sentencing saying it was “shocking”.

Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said: “The shocking manner in which the trial and sentencing of these protesters was fast-tracked through Iran’s judicial system amid the use of torture-tainted ‘confessions’, serious procedural flaws and a lack of evidence is another example of the Iranian authorities’ brazen disregard for the rights to life and fair trial.”

Amnesty’s statement also referred to Majid Kazemi’s audio recording from prison in which he said he was forced to make false self-incriminating statements after interrogators beat him, gave him electric shocks, subjected him to mock executions, threatened to rape him, execute his brothers and harass his parents.