Expansion of Professional Protests Across Iran; Physicians in Fars Province Call Colleagues to Strike
Various groups of people and employees from medical and industrial sectors in different areas of Iran held gatherings on Saturday and Sunday, the 9th and 10th of Mordad, and protested against the economic conditions prevailing in the country.
Video footage shows general practitioners in Fars Province in a gathering held in protest of their financial conditions, calling on their colleagues to strike.
The protesters, by chanting slogans, said: “Physicians without bread and sleep, strike strike,” “General practitioners, neither security nor money” and “Residency, residency, slavery law.” According to reports, in addition to Fars Province, general practitioners in other cities including Tehran have held protest gatherings.
In recent months, while ineffective policies by Iranian government and health officials have resulted in no clear prospects for dealing with coronavirus in the country, medical personnel in various parts of Iran have continued working under unprecedented pressure, in long shifts.
In other protests, it has been reported that a number of investors who lost their capital in Cryptoland exchange and Caspian financial institution in recent years gathered in front of these two institutions in Tehran on Sunday.
Protesters, by chanting the slogan “Settlement of claims, nation became displaced,” announced they will continue their protests and gatherings until the fate of their lost capital is determined.
Protest by Caspian depositors began when the Caspian institution, following the alleged asset deficit of approximately six thousand billion tomans of Farishtegan Cooperative, which was one of its subsidiaries, was unable to return depositors’ capital due to lack of liquidity.
Also, a group of investors who lost money in Cryptoland exchange gathered in protest of their issues not being addressed. Cryptoland exchange was shut down following the arrest of its CEO in late Ordibehesht of this year, and the capital of stakeholders was frozen.
Investors of this exchange have repeatedly gathered in front of the economic crimes court in protest of their blocked capital in the past two months and have demanded clarification of the fate of their assets.
In another protest gathering, employees of Continental Petroleum Company in the Sirri region protested against “unfair limitations applied regarding wages and benefits.”
Protest gatherings in various parts of Iran have increased in recent weeks. In many gatherings accompanied by strikes of employees and workers from various sectors, protesters in their slogans have questioned the economic policies of the Islamic Republic that have resulted in inflation, job insecurity, and unemployment for various age groups.
Promises by government officials to address the professional demands of protesters usually are not implemented.
Source: Voice of America
