Continued detention of workers and teachers arrested in recent protests, contrary to the country's laws

A number of protesting workers, teachers, and students who were arrested during two protest rallies on May 1 and 2 remain in illegal detention without specific charges or access to a lawyer.

By the evening of May 5, some of them had been released from prison on bail, but some protesters are still in Qarchak, Evin, and Tehran’s large prison (Fashafoyeh). According to Article 27 of the Constitution, “Assemblies and marches are free, without carrying weapons, provided that they do not violate the principles of Islam.” However, although workers and teachers participated in recent and other rallies peacefully and without weapons or other weapons, they have been beaten and arrested by Iranian police and security forces.

In the days following the arrests of the protesters, On May 5, MP Mustafa Kawakbian said in the open court of the parliament in protest of the recent arrests : " Why doesn't the Ministry of Interior provide a permit for their gathering and a legal permit for their gathering based on Article 27 of the Constitution? I request that if a worker or teacher has been arrested in front of the parliament, he be released. "

But in contrast, Nader Ghazipour, another member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, in response to the arrests, claimed that those who were arrested were chanting slogans against national security. He also denied dealing with the protesters in front of the parliament and said : " No protesters in front of the parliament have been dealt with. Unless they chanted slogans against national security. What did the student do among the workers? There was no Student Day. "

On International Workers' Day (May 11), following a call by labor organizations and unions for a peaceful rally in front of the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Workers' House, many workers participated in the protest rally. However, the police and security forces entered the rally and arrested dozens of workers.

Also on Teacher's Day (May 12), after protest rallies were held in various provinces of the country, many teachers were beaten and arrested by law enforcement and security officers. According to published information, three members of the Teachers' Union were Rasoul Badaghi, a labor activist and former prisoner, and  Mohammad Fallahi and Mojtaba Qureshian, other members of the Teachers' Union, were arrested. Rasoul Badaghi was released on bail from Tehran's Grand Prison on April 5, but the status of the other two detained members is still unknown.

According to reports from the Free Workers Union, 21 of the arrested workers have been released on bail or bail. The Telegram channel of the Free Workers Union of Iran announced that 10 workers were released on bail from Tehran’s large prison ( Fashafoyeh ) on Saturday evening, May 4. Their names are as follows : Kamyar Fakur, Mordas Taheri, Mahan Salehi, Mohammad Adelifar, Soheil Khodabakhsh, Mohammad Aslaghi, Mohammad Reza Panahi, Mehdi Fakhri, Afshin Mirza Khani and Ali Yavar.

Also on Sunday, May 5, 2018, 11 more people arrested during the Labor Day protest were released from Tehran's Grand Prison on bail. Their names are Hadi Silmani, a member of the Iranian Workers' Union, Vahid Fereydouni, Nima Mohajjat, Nasser Moharramzadeh, and Ghasem Khaloui. Davoud Rafiei, Abbas Sheikhi, Saeed Rezaei, Darya Kenari, Mohammad Hossein Bandehmoradi, and Adel Gorji.

However, the Telegram channel reported that Neda Naji and Atefeh Rangriz, labor and women's activists who were arrested during a protest rally in front of the Islamic Consultative Assembly on May 1, have been transferred from Qarchak Prison to Evin Prison, and their temporary detention has been extended for another ten days. There is also no specific information about Nasrin Javadi, a member of the Free Workers Union.

The Free Workers Union condemned “ the continued illegal detention and false filing of cases against workers, teachers, students, and retirees ” and called for “ the unconditional release of its members. ” According to reports, families of detained workers and teachers and some labor activists gather in front of Evin Prison every day to demand the release of their loved ones.

There is also no information on the condition of Marzieh Amiri, a journalist for Shargh newspaper who was arrested on Labor Day for unknown reasons. The journalist had gone to the Vazra detention center that day to inquire about the status of those arrested at the labor rally, but she herself has been arrested. According to her colleagues, she is still being held in solitary confinement in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, which is under the supervision of the Ministry of Intelligence.

Teachers and workers protested on the two days marked in their calendar against the sudden sharp increase in prices, the failure to pay their monthly salaries and wages on time, and the low wages.

On May 12, the Donyayeh Eqtesad newspaper published a report by the Majles Research Center, reporting that over the past six months, families' purchasing power has " significantly decreased. " While family incomes have remained stable since the summer of 2018. According to the Majles Research Center, the monthly poverty line in Tehran is " 2 million and 800 thousand tomans. " While the highest pension for teachers is about 1 million and 700 thousand tomans.

Security crackdowns on teachers' activities, especially the Teachers' Union, have been one of the most significant issues in the past ten years, recurring in most teacher protests and strikes by imprisoned teachers. However, security crackdowns have intensified. In addition to the teachers arrested in today's sit-in, at least four teachers, Ismail Abdi, Mohammad Habibi, Mahmoud Beheshti, and Ruhollah Mardani, are imprisoned for union or political activities.

Source: Human Rights Campaign