At least 15 steel workers arrested; Ahvaz city reported to be in a state of security
Following the continuation of the strike and protest rally of workers at the Ahvaz National Steel Group, news sources close to the workers reported the arrest of at least 15 people by security forces.
According to sources close to the workers, including the Free Union of Iranian Workers, security forces raided the workers' homes in the industrial complex at midnight on Sunday and arrested 15 people. It is not yet clear where the detained workers have been taken.
Meysam Ali Qanavati, Issa Marai, Amin Alvani, Morteza Akbarian, Tariq Khalfi, Masoud Afri, Jafar Sobhani, Mustafa Abiat, Gharib Havizawi, Hossein Davoudi, Karim Siyahi, Meysam Al-Mahdi, Hamed Basri, Hafez Kanani, and Hamed Jodaki are among the arrested workers of the Ahvaz National Steel Group Company.
According to reports, the security forces entered the area without a warrant. The officers attempted to arrest more workers, but were unable to do so due to their absence. On the other hand, it is said that many workers were forced to spend the night on the streets of Ahvaz to avoid arrest.
Karim Siyahi was among the workers who had repeatedly criticized the Islamic Republic's officials by speaking at protest rallies.
Tariq Khalfi also gave a speech to workers at Sunday's gatherings and announced that if the workers' problems were not addressed by the end of the week, 1,500 workers would gather in Tehran.
Also, some reports from sources close to the workers indicate that on Monday, officials from the Ahvaz Special Unit, along with the head of the West Ahvaz Police Station, entered the Ahvaz National Steel Industrial Group Company and threatened to arrest them if a rally was held.
It has been reported that special forces with water cannons are stationed in front of the Khuzestan Governorate and Justice Department to prevent workers from gathering. On the other hand, it is said that on Naderi Street, between the Governorate and the White Bridge in Ahvaz, there are also plainclothes security personnel.
However, published images show that workers of the Ahvaz National Steel Industrial Group have begun their protest rally on Monday as well.
The workers of the Ahvaz steel plant have been on strike and holding protest rallies for more than a month. The workers previously took to the streets of Ahvaz wearing shrouds to protest. They are demanding the restart of production, the return of ownership of the complex from the National Bank to the government, and the full payment of their arrears.
Following the labor protests and while the Islamic Republic has intensified security and judicial actions against protesting workers, the Free Union of Iranian Workers and the Workers' Syndicate of the Tehran Unitary Company condemned these arrests.
Previously, the protest of workers at the Ahvaz National Steel Group had been supported by international communities, including the US State Department and the International Workers' Confederation.
Source: Voice of America
