Continued Detention of Workers and Teachers Arrested in Recent Gatherings in Violation of National Laws

A number of workers, teachers and protesting students who were arrested during two protest gatherings on the 11th and 12th of Ordibehesht, are continuing to be held in unlawful detention without clear charges and access to lawyers.

By the evening of the 15th of Ordibehesht, some of them were released from prison on bail or bond, but some protesters are still held in Qarchak Prison, Evin Prison, and Tehran’s largest prison (Fashafuyeh). According to Article 27 of the Constitution, “holding assemblies and marches, without carrying arms, is permitted provided that it does not violate Islamic principles.” However, although workers and teachers participated peacefully in recent and other gatherings without weapons or other arms, they have been subjected to beatings and arrest by Iranian law enforcement and security personnel.

In the days following the arrest of protesters, Mostafa Kavakebian, a parliament member, on the 15th of Ordibehesht in the parliament’s open session, protesting recent arrests said: “Why does the Ministry of Interior not provide them with permits and legal permission to gather based on Article 27 of the Constitution? I request that if any worker or teacher has been arrested in front of parliament, they should be released.“

However, in response to the arrests, Nader Ghazi Pour, another parliament member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, claimed that those who were arrested had chanted slogans against national security. He also denied any confrontation with gatherings in front of parliament and said: “No gathering in front of parliament has been confronted. Unless they chanted slogans against national security. What has a student done among workers? It wasn’t even student day.“

On World Workers’ Day (11th of Ordibehesht) and following calls by labor unions and confederations, labor activists organized peaceful gatherings in front of the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Workers’ House. Many workers participated in this protest gathering; however, law enforcement and security forces entered the gathering and arrested dozens of workers.

Also, on Teachers’ Day (12th of Ordibehesht), following protest gatherings held in various provinces across the country, many teachers were subjected to beatings and arrests by law enforcement and security personnel. According to released information, three members of the Teachers’ Professional Association named Rasoul Badaghi, a labor activist and former prisoner, Mohammad Fallahi and Mojtaba Qoreyshi from other members of the Teachers’ Professional Association were arrested. Rasoul Badaghi was released from Tehran’s largest prison on the 15th of Ordibehesht on bail, but information about the status of the other two arrested members is still unavailable.

According to reports from the Free Union of Workers of Iran, so far 21 arrested workers have been released on bail or bond. The Telegram channel of the Free Union of Workers of Iran announced that 10 workers were released from Tehran’s largest prison (Fashafuyeh) on bail on Saturday evening, the 14th of Ordibehesht. Their names are as follows: Kamiar Fakoor, Mardas Taheri, Mahan Salehi, Mohammad Adelpour, Soheil Khodabakhsh, Mohammad Aslahi, Mohammad Reza Panahi, Mehdi Fakhri, Afshin Mirzakhani and Ali Yavar.

Also, on Sunday, the 15th of Ordibehesht, 11 other arrested individuals from the workers’ day protest gathering were released from Tehran’s largest prison on bail. Their names are: Hadi Silmani, member of the Union of Workers of Iran, Vahid Feridoni, Nima Vizhe, Naser Mohammadzadeh and Ghassem Khalvati, Davoud Rafiee, Abbas Sheikhi, Saeed Rezaei, Darya Kanari, Mohammad Hossein Bandeh Moradi and Adel Gorji.

However, this Telegram channel reported that Neda Naji and Atefeh Rangriz, women labor activists who were arrested at the protest gathering in front of the Islamic Consultative Assembly on the 11th of Ordibehesht, have been transferred from Qarchak Prison to Evin Prison and their temporary detention has been extended for another ten days. Also, there is no specific information about Nasrin Javadi, member of the Free Union of Workers of Iran.

The Free Union of Workers condemned “the continued unlawful detention and unfounded case-making against workers, teachers, students and retirees” and called for “unconditional release of its members.” Based on reports received, families of detained workers and teachers and some labor activists gather daily in front of Evin Prison for the release of their loved ones.

Also, there is still no information about the status of Marzieh Amiri, journalist of Shargh newspaper who was arrested on Workers’ Day for unclear reasons. This journalist had gone to the Minister’s Office to find out the status of those arrested at the workers’ gathering and was herself arrested. According to her colleagues, she is currently in solitary confinement in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, which is under the supervision of the Ministry of Intelligence.

On the two days named after them in the calendar, teachers and workers protested the sharp and sudden increase in prices, the failure to pay their monthly salaries and wages on time, and the low level of their wages.

Donya-ye Eqtesad newspaper reported on the 12th of Ordibehesht by publishing a report from the Parliament Research Center that over the past six months, families’ purchasing power has “significantly declined.” While family incomes have remained constant since summer 1397 until now. According to the Parliamentary Research Center’s report, the monthly poverty line in Tehran is “2 million and 800 thousand tomans.” While the retirement salary of teachers at the highest level receives approximately 1 million and 700 thousand tomans.

Security treatment of teachers’ activities and especially the Teachers’ Professional Association over the past decade has been one of the most significant cases that have been repeated in most teachers’ protests and also teachers’ strikes. Besides the teachers arrested in today’s sit-in, at least four teachers named Esmail Abdi, Mohammad Hoseini, Mahmoud Bahashthi and Rouhollah Mardani are imprisoned due to professional or political activities.

Source: Human Rights Campaign