World Education Organization calls for release of imprisoned teachers in Iran
Education International issued a statement condemning the arrest of Mohammad Habibi, a union activist and board member of the Tehran Province Teachers' Union, Esmaeil Abdi, a union activist, and other imprisoned teachers, and calling for their release.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, June 5, addressed to Hassan Rouhani, the world's largest teachers' union called the prison authorities' treatment of imprisoned teachers, including Mr. Habibi, a crime and a misdemeanor, and announced: "If anything happens to Mr. Habibi and other imprisoned teachers, we hold all relevant officials responsible for this issue."
This organization has called on all activists, organizations, unions, and especially the teachers' union, to do all they can to condemn the treatment of imprisoned teachers in Iran and to demand their unconditional release.
The International Education Organization has also said that the people's struggle for freedom and equality in Iran is permanent and unending, and Iranian teachers, workers, and the people of Iran are currently demanding the broadest possible response from international groups.
Mohammad Habibi, a member of the board of directors of the Tehran Teachers' Union, along with a number of teachers and retired educators, participated in a rally in front of the Planning and Budget Organization on May 10th, on the occasion of Teacher's Week.
Sixteen participants in the rally, including Mohammad Habibi, were arrested, but a short time later, all of those arrested except Mr. Habibi were released on bail.
About two weeks ago, Mr. Habibi's lawyer, Hossein Taj, said that the failure to grant his client a deadline and the treatment of the prison officers and officials with this prisoner was unusual.
He explained that Mohammad Habibi's wife, who had gone to the Security Court, happened to encounter Mr. Habibi and saw him barefoot and in torn clothes, with the marks of the beatings still visible on his face.
Source: Voice of America
