Following the execution wave in the past months in Iran, families of death row prisoners gathered on Tuesday outside the Iranian Parliament in a peaceful protest against the death penalty, various human rights agencies reported.

The protesters who were mainly women were carrying placards where it was written "Why Death Penalty?".

According to the state run Iranian news agency the protest ended peacefully.

Earlier on Tuesday 11 prisoners were executed in the Ghezelhesar Prison of Karaj (west of Tehran) according to unofficial sources.

Since the elections last June, there have been over 300 executions, say human rights sources.