Continued Protests Against Arrest of Labor and Teacher Activists and ‘Case-Building’ Against Them

Criticism by human rights, labor, teachers, and retirees organizations continues regarding the arrest of several labor activists and teachers on the tenth of Ordibehesht and the broadcast of a television report against them.

Meanwhile, Amir Raisiyan, the defense attorney for Reza Shahabi, Anisha Asadollahi, and Keyvan Mohtadi, considered the publication of videos and photos of his clients and other detainees a violation of Article 96 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The Human Rights Defenders Association, in a statement released on Thursday, the 29th of Ordibehesht, criticized the broadcast of a television report about the arrest of Cecile Kohler and Jacques Pary, a French couple, and the publication of images of several cultural and labor activists in Tehran.

On the 26th of Ordibehesht, Islamic Republic Television, in a report attributed to the Ministry of Intelligence, accused these two French nationals of communicating with teacher and labor activists and attempting to create “unrest” and “destabilize society.”

According to the French Education Union, Cecile Kohler and Jacques Pary are employees of this union and had traveled to Iran only for “vacation.”

Based on a statement by the Teachers’ Professional Council, Kohler is a prominent French teacher in the field of trade union activities and a prominent member of the International Education Federation (EI), an institution whose important tasks include pursuing educational reforms and monitoring educational conditions in countries, particularly the situation of teachers.

The Human Rights Defenders Association, which is headed by Shirin Ebadi, accused the Islamic Republic in its statement of “disregarding its own laws and bringing baseless charges” in its treatment of protesters and critics.

In the opinion of this organization, the Islamic Republic “out of desperation, by making false and baseless accusations of contact, attempts to suppress and silence vibrant and active movements through creating a climate of fear and terror.”

The Human Rights Defenders Association emphasized that “in none of the current laws is contact with foreign citizens and with unions and professional and labor organizations a crime,” and wrote that “depriving the nation of basic freedoms with such unfair and illegal charges is a clear example of abuse of power and subject to criminal prosecution, and those who order and carry out such arrests must be accountable for their actions.”The Coordination Council of Professional Associations of Iranian Educators, in “response to the ridiculous scenario-building by state radio and television against teacher union activists,” wrote: “Since its establishment, it has been a formal member of the World Federation of Teachers (International Education) and has and maintains contact with this international organization.”

This council, referring to its professional activities aimed at defending teachers and students and peaceful civil protest gatherings in the past 20 years, criticized the security scenario-building against several teacher union activists in connection with Ms. Kohler and Mr. Pary, members of the French Teachers’ Union.

The Coordination Council of Professional Associations of Iranian Educators, while condemning this behavior of security forces and state radio and television, emphasized that according to the laws of the Islamic Republic, “before holding a public trial with the presence of the accused and observing complete legal procedures, one cannot play with the dignity and reputation of individuals through media that carries national constraints.”

The Coordination Council of Professional Associations of Iranian Educators, announcing that teacher union activists Rasoul Badaghi, Eskandar Lotfi, Masoud Nikkhah, and Shaban Mohammadi have been pursuing the professional demands of the teacher community, wrote: “While providing firm support for all arrested teachers and rejecting flimsy accusations, we expect all of them to be released as soon as possible unconditionally, or according to Article 165 of the Constitution, their trial to be held publicly.”

The Iran Teachers’ Professional Council also, on Wednesday, the 28th of Ordibehesht, in a statement, called the government television report about the arrest of two French nationals on charges of “contact” with teacher union activists among “thread-thin scenarios” designed to “deceive public opinion” and suppress the teachers’ justice movement.

Earlier, the Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran United Bus Company, on Monday the 26th of Ordibehesht, coinciding with the broadcast of the government television report of the Islamic Republic, condemned “case-building, arrest, and the dissemination and broadcast of lies by the Ministry of Intelligence and other repressive forces” in a statement.

The Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran United Bus Company condemned “any charges and the spread of lies against its members, including Reza Shahabi,” and demanded that labor and social activists who have been arrested, “including Anisha Asadollahi, Rihana Ansari-Nejad, Keyvan Mohtadi, as well as arrested teachers including Rasoul Badaghi, Jafar Ebrahimi, Eskandar Lotfi, Mohammad Habibi, and Mohsen Omrani must be released without any conditions.”

Recent arrests and “security case-building” have also resulted in critical reactions from other labor, teachers, and retirees organizations, as well as workers of Haft Tapeh Sugar Factory and the International Education Federation.

Meanwhile, Amir Raisiyan, attorney for Messrs. Shahabi and Mohtadi and Ms. Asadollahi, in an interview with Thursday’s edition of the Shargh newspaper, citing Article 96 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, said: “Publication of the image of the accused at this stage is prohibited for media and law enforcement and even judicial authorities.”

He added: “These claims that merely with the presence of two foreign individuals, a large number of the most hardworking sectors of society, such as drivers of the United Company or teachers and workers and other professions and classes, have been incited and encouraged to protest, is not very believable.”

Mr. Raisiyan in another part of the interview, announcing that the organization to which Cecile Kohler and Jacques Pary are members is “a formal member of the International Labor Organization,” said: “The Islamic Republic of Iran is committed under the regulations of the International Labor Organization to respect the communications between labor organizations throughout the world and protect them from accusation and investigation.”

Meanwhile, the Reza Shahabi Defense Campaign on Wednesday night, announcing the family’s lack of information about his physical condition, expressed concern about his situation.

The campaign wrote that Reza Shahabi’s wife and daughter met with his attorney at the Evin Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday, but were given no answer about the physical condition of Mr. Shahabi, which has been deteriorating.

Source: Radio Farda