Category: Freedom of Expression

HRANA Recap: This Week’s Protests in Iran

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Babol, Bakhtiari Province, Borujerd, Chaedgan, Chaharmahal, Eslamshahr, Firuzabad, Imam Khomeini, Karaj, Karun, Kerman, Khandab, Kuhrang, Lenjan, Mehr, Meybod, Omidiyeh, Paveh, Qazvin, Qom, Razan, Rumeshkan, Sari, Semirom, Shahrekord, Sheykh Salleh, Shirvan, Shur, Shut, Sungun Varzaghan, Taft, Tuyserkan, Urmia, zanjan
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a number of protests took place this week in Iran, many of which were continuations of ongoing movements.  Read our recap below for details, photos, and videos from the demonstrations.

Saturday, October 23

A group of contracted teachers and educators from the counties of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province assembled in front of the government building in Shahrekord to protest this year layoffs.

“126 teachers have been fired this academic year,” one protestor stated at the demonstration. “These layoffs happened only to the educators of this province. The teachers with the same conditions, all over the county, continue their work.”, he added.

Sunday, October 24

Workers for a heap leaching project at the copper mine Sungun Varzaghan assembled and protested their unpaid benefits this Sunday. 

Monday, October 25

In various cities across the country, judiciary personnel assembled in front of their local justice buildings and protested worsening job conditions and the failure of authorities to address their demands.

These protests were held in Tehran, Zanjan, Hamedan, Qom, Arak, Babol, Borujerd, Chaedgan, Firuzabad, Kerman, Khandab, Kuhrang, Meybod, Lenjan, Sari, Mehr, Nahavand, Urmia, Paveh, Rumeshkan, Semirom, Shahrekord, Shirvan,Shut, Taft, Razan, Eslamshahr, and Tuyserkan.

A group of patients with the blood disorder thalassemia assembled in front of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education building in Tehran. They protested the shortage of medicine and the institution’s shortcomings in addressing their issues.

A number of retirees on the pension fund of steel corporation Fulad traveled from various cities to Tehran and assembled in front of the pension fund building. As a symbolic act, they spread tablecloths without any food to show they hardly afford living costs. They asked for a pension above the poverty line, free medical treatment and closing the gap in pension incomes. They claimed that Fulad’s pension fund has breached regulations.

A group of teachers and educators in Rafsanjan City who has passed the recruitment exam taken by the Ministry of Education assembled in front of the building of this ministry in Rafsanjan.

“We are 62 teachers and all have been passed the recruitment exam, nonetheless, we have not been recruited,” one of the teachers commented. He added,  “Given that the Ministry of Education needed more than 200 teachers and there are a lot of local labour forces to be hired, why do they recruit from other cities?”

A number of athletes and paralympic medalists assembled in front of the government building in Damghan City. They protested the mismanagement of the county Ministry of Sport and Youth, as well as a shortage of sports facilities. According to these protestors, the sport salon allocated to them is often closed and each time they have to wait three hours for using the salon.

Bus and minibus drivers working in the transportation service of Southern Pars (Asaluyeh and Bandar-e Kangan) assembled outside the premises of the refineries. They protested against low wages in comparison to increasing transportation costs.

“Our wage is lower in comparison to the vehicle depreciation costs,” one protestor said, “and even though it is not enough, they delay payment.”

A number of young job seekers in Shushtar city assembled in front of the Karun Agro-industry Complex. They asked for recruitment of local job seekers in this industry complex. They find it unfair that, despite having several big corporation in this city, many skilled and educated workers remain jobless.

Some personnel of the Real Estate Registration Organization of Iran assembled and protested in front of the office of a member of the parliament in Qazvin.

A group of market workers in the border village Sheykh Salleh assembled to protest against the assigning  of border affairs to a non-native company.

Tuesday, October 26

A number of workers of Omidiyeh Water and Wastewater Company assembled in front of the government building of this city.

These workers said that despite promises from supervisors, they have four-month unpaid wages. Moreover, the end of year bonuses and three years end of service benefits have not been paid. They have protested several times in the past, but every time, they have not received an adequate response from authorities.

The retirees of Imam Khomeini hospital in Karaj assembled in front of this hospital to promote their demands on Tuesday.

For the second day, the retirees of the pension fund of the steel corporation Fulad assembled in front of the pension fund building in Tehran.

A group of retirees and working personnel of airline company Homa assembled in front of the building of Iran Ministry of Roads & Urban Development. They asked for fair and timely wages. According to these protestors, not only is the pension insignificant, but also there have been significant payment delays.

A number of farmers from eastern Isfahan assembled in front of the building of the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad. They protested not receiving their water shares and rights.

Workers of contractor companies delivering services like gardening, maintenance and transport for Pars Oil and Gas Company assembled in Asaluyeh to demand increased wages, supplementary insurance, and implementation of the Job Classification plan.

In Isfahan and Yazd Provinces, a number of people with hearing impairment assembled in front of the buildings of the State Welfare Organization of Iran. They cited livelihood problems, including denial of right to housing and insurance, as the reasons for their protest.

Wednesday, October 27

For the third consecutive day, a group of workers of Gachsaran Petrochemical Company protested at their workplace and then in front of the government building of Gachsaran.

They said that the contractors discriminates against the native laborers and threatens them to be fired. Reportedly, these contractor companies have raised the wage of non-native labor but not the native ones.

Some personnel of the Azad University, unit “Yadegare Imam” in Shahr-e-Rey city assembled and protested at the university premises to protest ongoing mismanagement. Reportedly, this protest turned somewhat violent.

A number of people who have lost their money in their accounts with Cryptoland, a cryptocurrency exchange, protested in front of the Tehran Courthouse. They demanded that legal processing return their losses.

A number of disabled war veterans assembled in front of the building of the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs in Tehran. They protested poor living conditions and the non-implementation of some protective laws

Thursday, October 28

A number of workers of Khorramshahr municipality assembled in front of the building of the municipality to protest against a six-month delay in payment and other demands.

In Isfahan, a number of people with hearing loss assembled in front of the buildings of the State Welfare Organization of Iran.

A number of workers of the Kut-Abdollah municipality protested in front of the Governorate building of Khuzestan Province. They asked for the payment of their delayed wages.

Ahmadreza Haeri Summoned to the Cybercrime Court of Tehran

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News
Ahmadreza Haeri, Cubercrime, Evin, Evin Prison, Gerater Tehran Penitentiary, Greater Tehran Prison, Haeri, NAJA, PSCMO, Salavati, subpoena, Tehran, Tehran Province

Following a complaint from the Prisons and Security and Corrective Measures Organization of Tehran Province (PSCMO), former political prisoner Ahmadreza Haeri was recently summoned to the Cybercrime Court of Tehran.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, this Friday, October 29, Haeri was summoned on charges of “spreading lies, accusative, insulting and slanderous words”.

One month after the incident known as “Black Thursday of Evin Prison”, when dozens of political prisoners in Evin Prison were beaten brutally by security agents in Ward 350 of Evin prison, Ahmadreza Haeri was sentenced to 42 months in prison by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, headed by Judge Salavati.

This initial verdict was upheld by Branch 36 of the appellate court. However, following his lawyer’s objection, the verdict was revoked and this time the case was undertaken by Branch 54 of the court of appeals which sentenced him to six months in prison and 74 lashes.

On July 25, 2020, Haeri endured the flogging by the Intelligence and Public Security Police of NAJA and then was sent to the Greater Tehran prison to serve his six-month sentence. On October 8, 2020, he was released on probation from the Greater Tehran prison.

In this new subpoena from the Cybercrime Court of Tehran, Haeri was instructed to appear there within five days.

Seventeen People Arrested for “Promoting Western Lifestyle” on Instagram Pages in Behshahr

Posted on by A MN
Cultural, Freedom of Expression, News
Article 3, Behshahr, censorship, Cyber Police, FATA, irgc, Rokna, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, western lifestyle

Seventeen people were recently arrested in Behshahr for reasons related to their activity on their personal social media pages.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Rokna News, the Iranian Cyber Police cited “promoting a western lifestyle, publishing obscene pictures and modelling ads” as the reasons for the arrests.

By order of a judge, the police erased all contents of the cited posts and replaced them with FATA’s logo. What the regime labels as “promoting a western lifestyle” has long been a source of tension between the regime and the Iranian people.

Imposing a certain lifestyle on citizens stands in blatant violation of Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which entitles everyone the right to life, liberty and security of person. Additionally, Article 12 of this declaration affirms, “One shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honor and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.”

Editor of News Outlet ‘Miandoab Press’ Summoned to Endure Eight Month Prison Sentence

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
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On Wednesday, October 5,  Manoochehr Aghai, Editor of the news outlet Miandoab Press, was sent to Miandoab Prison to begin his sentence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Aghai had previously been sentenced to eight months in prison on a charge of “propaganda against the regime”.

Aghai was sentenced in absentia. During the trial, published online news reports and viewers’ comments under his posts on social media were invoked as evidence against him.

HRANA Recap: This Week’s Protests in Iran

Posted on by Editor
Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
ahvaz, Ahvaz Municipality, Cryptoland, Fulad, Gilan, Gilan province, Haft Tappeh, Hassan Muhammad Yari, Hossein Mirzaie, Manjil, Parliament, Rasht, Sepidar, Shafa Rud, Tehran
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a number of protests took place this week in Iran, many of which were continuations of ongoing movements.  Read our recap below for details, photos, and videos from the demonstrations.

 

Friday, October 15

In Isfahan, a number of farmers assembled at the office of parliament member Hossein Mirzaie to protest the mismanagement in addressing water shortage. In response to the member of parliament (MP) who had recommended rain praying as the only solution, these farmers asked him to pray.

“We are waiting for the MP to come here and do rain prayer,” the farmers stated. “We go here on sit-down strike until it rains.”

 

A number of construction workers for a project to build a freeway tunnel from Manjil to Rasht City went on strike to protest against their employer who broke his promise regarding paying delayed wages. According to the workers, after fifteen days, the employer has yet to fulfill his promise to pay four months of unpaid wages.

About 800 workers working on the Shafa Rud dam in Gilan Province additionally went on strike last Friday to ask for the payment of their wages, which are seven months delayed.

“Since last year, I have been trying to address their issues,” Hassan Muhammad Yari , the MP of Talesh City, stated in Parliament. “Many times, I gave speeches in the parliament; however, so far there has been no one to listen. Therefore, these workers went on strike to reach their demands and I will join them from next week.”

Saturday, October 16

A group of workers of Ahvaz municipality protested on Saturday, first in front of the parliament building in Tehran and then at the office of the president. Reportedly, 69 recently-temporarily-laid-off workers of Ahvaz Municipality demanded to return to work. The workers have not been paid for the last six months and are facing a four month suspension from work.

Sunday, October 17

Workers of the Tehran Bus Company, along with the stakeholder of the housing cooperative of this company, assembled in front of the judiciary building in Tehran. The housing cooperative set up Sepidar construction projects 2 and 3 aiming to provide these bus drivers with housing, but 10 years after its introduction the project remains unfinished.

A number of people who have lost money to Cryptoland, a cryptocurrency exchange, assembled in front of the parliament building and demanded the return of their money

A number of retirees of the pension fund of the steel corporation Fulad assembled in front of the building of this corporation in Isfahan. They asked for the improvement of their pension funds in proportion with the poverty line, closing the gap in pension incomes and addressing issues in regard to supplementary insurance.

Bus and minibus drivers working in the transport service of Southern Pars assembled and protested against low wages in comparison to increasing transportation costs.

Monday, October 18

Some personnel of Ahvaz Water and Wastewater Company assembled in front of the company building to protest the upcoming merger with Khuzestan Water and Water Waste company, among other issues. They said that the merger would worsen the financial situation of the company and the quality of their service as happened after the merger of with rural Water & Wastewater Company with its counterpart in the province.

Tuesday, October 19

A number of citizens assembled in front of the parliament building to protest against unfair family laws especially “Mehrieh”, which relates to the certain amount of money or possession paid by the groom before marriage or later at any time on request of the bride.

A group of workers working in ShafaRud dam assembled in on company property in Rezvanshahr City. These workers have not been paid for seven months and more than 700 workers have been laid off due to the shutdown of the project.

A number of workers of Haft-Tappeh Company assembled and protested on company property. They have been on strike for 23 days. These workers demand payment of their delayed wages, an immediate return of the company from the private sector to public, the return of laid off workers to work, extension of the contracts of both seasonal workers and workers of the pest control department, and the carrying out of repair operations.

 

The workers of Hadid Mobtakeran Company assembled and protested unpaid wages, which have been delayed by two months. 

 

A number of customers of Azvico company (Azarbaijan Vehicle Industry), who had pre-purchased cars protested in front of the building of Economic Crimes Court in Tehran. These citizens have not yet received their purchased car after three years.

 

A group of people, who lost their investment in the Aftab Project, assembled in front of Rey City Court.

 

A group of poultry farmers assembled in front of the building of the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad in Tehran in protest of high incubator costs and government-imposed fixed prices.

A group of people who have not yet received their pre-ordered cars after several years from Persian Khodro Company, Ramak Khodro Company, Seyf Khodro Company, and Karma Company protested on Tuesday.

 

Workers of the private companies which are working as contractors for Bushehr Petrochemical Company went on strike once again. They demanded increased wages, changing shift-work schedule to 20 days work, 10 days off, improvement of worker accommodations and food. It is worth mentioning that since June 19, these workers have launched a campaign to call all oil industry workers to join the strike.

Wednesday, October 20

A number of depositors of Caspian, a finance and credit institution, assembled in front of the building of the Liquidation Board in Tehran. They said that after six years, this finance institution refuses to return their investments. 

“Today we assembled in front of the building of Liquidation Board,” one of the participants in this protest commented. “Once they did not respond, we went inside and they cut off the power of the building to force us to leave.”

Thursday, October 21

A number of workers for a garment factory Sabalan assembled in front of the governorate building in Ardabil to demand their unpaid wages, which have not been paid for three months. These workers say that while the company spends a lot of money on erecting pavilions, building restaurants in company premises, other expenses for tourist attractions, and paying some former politicians apparently as Consultants or board members, they do not pay workers’ wages.

A group of women’s rights activists and other citizens assembled at the Faezeh Maleki-Nia’s burial place in Dolat-Abad village to ask for the repeal of discrimanatory laws against women. On Sunday, October 3, 22-year-old Faezeh Maleki was burned to death by her father in Sanandaj City.

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HRANA Recap: This Week’s Protests in Iran

Posted on by Editor
Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
ahvaz, Bandar Imam Khomenei, Bandar-Abbas, Fulad, Haft Tappeh, iran protests, Isfahan, Khoram Abad, khorramshahr, Khuzestan, Mashhad, Pabdana, Qazvin, Rasht, Shiraz, South Zagros Oil and Gas Production Company, Tabriz, Tehran, zanjan
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a number of protests took place this week in Iran, many of which were continuations of ongoing movements.  Read our recap below for details, photos, and videos from the demonstrations.

 

Saturday, October 9

In Rameshk city, in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, a number of citizens assembled in front of a copper mining company called “Rameshk” to protest the company’s confiscation of their pieces of land without providing compensation.

Sunday, October 10

On the thirteen day of their strike, Haft-Tappeh’s workers assembled in front of the governorate building in Shush city and then marched in the streets. They chanted “this
revolutionary government has just empty slogans”.

These workers demand paying delayed wages, immediate returning the company from the private sector to state section, returning fired workers to work, extending the contracts of both seasonal workers and workers of the pest control department, carrying out repair operations.

A group of depositors of Caspian, a finance and credit institution, assembled in front of the building of the Central Bank in Tehran to protest against the sham investment scheme of the institution and ask for the return on their investment.

A number of retirees of the pension fund of steel corporation Fulad assembled in front of the company’s buildings in Isfahan and Khuzestan. They asked for levelling up their pension in proportion with the poverty line, enjoying adequate benefits and the supplementary insurance as set by the by-laws of this corporation.

 

Monday, October 11

For the second consecutive day, a number of workers of Jovein cement company in Mashhad assembled at company premises to ask for implementing Job Classification Plan and holding the employers to his promises.

A group of poultry farm workers assembled in front of the Governor’s office in Shahrekord city in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province. They protested against the high costs of feeding and chicks for incubators in comparison to the low chicken prices.

On the fourteenth consecutive day, Haft-Tappeh workers assembled in front of the governorate building in Shush city and then marched in the streets.

The contracted workers the company SAAPEC in Asaluyeh went on strike and assembled in company premises in protest against two-months unpaid wages.

For the second consecutive day, a number of citizens in Rameshk city, in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, assembled in front of a copper mining company Rameshk. Reportedly, to build a copper mine site, this company has confiscated their pieces of land without paying any compensation.

Tuesday, October 12

The workers of Abnieh Fanni, a railway company in the Azerbaijan zone, which are working on rail lines of counties Salmas, Jolfa, Azarshahr, Marand and Ajabshir, went on strike in protest against the two-month delay in payment and employer’s contribution in the health insurance. According to these workers, their problems began when the project was outsourced to private-sector companies.

On the fifteenth consecutive day of the strike, workers of Haft-Tappeh Company assembled at their workplace. These worker demands, among other things, paying delayed wages, immediate returning the company from the private sector to state section, returning fired workers to work, extending the contracts of both seasonal workers and workers of the pest control department, Carrying out repair operations.

The workers of the Isfahan municipality assembled to ask for levelling up wages and other demands in front of the municipality headquarter.

In front of the building of the Tehran Planning and Budget Organization, a number of last-year-retired teachers protested unpaid pension income.

Wednesday, October 13

A number of school service personnel working for the Ministry of Education of Qom assembled in the premises of the Ministry of education’s building. They protested low wages,forced and unpaid overworking, cutting off work uniform quota and the lack of promotion and other job-related improvements for those who have obtained the university degree

On the sixteenth day of their strike, Haft-Tappeh’s workers assembled in front of Labor office in Shush city.

A number of contractual teachers assembled in front of the Provincial Government building in Shahrekord in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province. These teachers protested against the lack of job security and low wages in comparison to teachers who are hired by the ministry of education. They demanded to come under contract with the ministry of education.

Thursday, October 14

In response to the call of the Coordinating Council of Iranian teacher Unions, working and retired teachers and educators in at least 40 cities assembled to ask for their demands.

A number of workers of the municipality in Khorramshahr city assembled to ask for six
months unpaid wages.

The workers of private companies which are working as contractors on coal mines in Kerman assembled in front of the Provincial Government building. They asked for implementing the Job Classification plan and other demands.

The retirees of Gilan Ministry of Health assembled in the premises of the University of Medical Sciences in Rasht to ask for closing pension gap and other demands.

On the Seventeenth day of their strike, the workers of Haft-Tappeh Company assembled at their workplace.

HRANA Recap: This Week’s Protests in Iran

Posted on by Editor
Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
ahvaz, Bandar Imam Khomenei, Bandar-Abbas, Fulad, Isfahan, Khoram Abad, khorramshahr, Khuzestan, Mashhad, Pabdana, Qazvin, Rasht, Shiraz, South Zagros Oil and Gas Production Company, Tabriz, Tehran, zanjan
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a number of protests took place this week in Iran, many of which were continuations of ongoing movements.  Read our recap below for details, photos, and videos from the demonstrations.

 

Saturday, October 2

This Saturday and Sunday, a group of environmental activists of Sanandaj in the vicinity of Vahdat Dam gathered to protest against the years-long negligence from local authorities in addressing the area’s unsafe drinking water. Because of the city water is contaminated, residents are forced to carry water from the springs surrounding the city.

Sunday, October 3

Employees of coal mining company Pabdana in Kerman Province assembled this Sunday at their workplace entrance gate and protested the company’s low wages, arguing that, compared to state-owned mining companies, private companies such as Pabdana pay employees less for longer hours.

About 400 drivers of the transport unit of South Zagros Oil and Gas Production Company, for a second consecutive day, assembled to protest the company’s decision to change their contracts. The new agreements are set up so that that workers will  be employed by a contractor rather than the company, meaning lower wages and fewer benefits.

In Bandar Imam Khomeini, a number of workers working for subsidiary companies of Persian Gulf Holding in the petrochemical special zone assembled to protest against wage discrimination. They asked for a direct contract with the company rather than contractors who enforce lower wages and harder work.

The retirees of the Social Security Organization assembled in front of this organization’s buildings in cities of Ahvaz, Rasht, Kermanshah, KHORAM-Abad, Tehran, Mashhad, Tabriz, and Qazvin, to ask for their demands. Their demands included levelling up pensions in proportion with the poverty line, enforcing the equating wages act, enforcing Article 96 of Social Security Act, addressing the issues regarding supplementary insurance, receiving end-of-year bonuses and taking work records in difficult-dirty-and-dangerous jobs into pension calculations.

A number of teachers and educators protested in front of the Parliament building in Tehran and the Ministry of Education’s buildings in the cities of Ahvaz, Shiraz, Zanjan, Darab, Bandar-Abbas and Isfahan. They asked for better enforcement of the Equating Wages Act for retirees and the Ranking Plan Act.

Personnel of the Municipality of Khorramshahr assembled in front of the government building to protest against a 6-month payment delay and a 10-month-unpaid insurance premium.

Retirees of the steel company Fulad protested in front of the company’s headquarters in Isfahan and Khuzestan provinces. They asked for levelling up their pension in proportion with the poverty line and enforcing the Equating Wages Act and addressing the problems of supplementary insurance.

A number of Haft-Tappeh’s workers continued to protest on the sixth day of their strike.

Monday, October 4

A number of students and alumni of pharmacology assembled in front of the building of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in Tehran to protest against the monopoly on establishing pharmacies. They asked for the acceleration in enforcing the new regulations thereby the establishment of pharmacies in deprived areas would be facilitated.

On the seventh day, the workers of Haft-Tappeh company went out on strike. They assembled in front of the governorate building in Shush city.

Several workers for private coal mining companies in Kuhbanan county went on strike for the sixth consecutive day at their place of work. The workers said that, despite higher productivity and better quality of coal, they have been paid 4 to 5 million tomans less than workers of state-owned companies. Reportedly, in Kuhbanan County, more than 3000 workers are working for these private coal mining companies.

A group of personnel of social emergency workers of state welfare organization assembled in front of the parliament in Tehran and demanded changing work contract party from private to state section as well as the approval of the social emergency bill by parliament.

A group of retirees and working personnel of airline company Homa assembled in front of the building of Planning and Budget Organization. The retirees said that, despite promises from their supervisors, pensionsv for last month have not  been paid.

Tuesday, October 4

On the eighth day of their strike, Haft-Tappeh’s workers assembled in front of the governorate building in Shush city and then marched through the streets.

More than 500 workers of private companies, who are working on copper mining Sungun Varzaghan, assembled and went out on strike against low wages and hard work conditions.

Workers of the petrochemical special zone, including Persian Gulf Holding, assembled and demanded equal wage for equal work according to article 38 of Iran’s labour code and ILO Convention No. 100.

Wednesday, October 5

In response to recent violence against women (such as Faezeh Maleki-Nia who was burned to death by her father) and the negligence of the police and judiciary to prosecute and punish the offenders, a group of civil activists assembled in front of the Building of the Ministry of Justice in Sanandaj.

On the ninth day of the strike, in Shush city, Haft-Tappeh workers assemble again in front of the governorate building and then marched toward the building of the ministry of the judiciary.

For the second day, workers of private companies working on copper mining Sungun Varzaghan, refused to work and assembled at their workplace. These workers had spent last night in their tents in the same place of assembly.

 

Thursday, October 6

Following the protest of women in Sanandaj on previous day, several women protested in Marivan and asked that the case of Faezeh Maleki-Nia (who was burned by her father) be addressed, and called for an end to violence against women.

In Khorramshahr, a number of citizens assembled to protest against negligence and shortcomings of the municipality in collecting garbage. As a demonstration of protest, they piled up garbage bags in front of the municipality building.

In their tenth days of strike, Haft-Tappeh workers continued to protest in front of the governorate building in Shush.

A number of workers of Non-Industrial Operations Company Pazargad in Pardis Jam Town went out on strike at the workplace.

 

 

 

Sajad Zare Released from Prison After Completing Sentence

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
Adelabad, Adelabad Prison, Adelabad Prison in Shiraz, irgc, Prisoner released, Sajad Zare, Shiraz, Zare

On October 4, political prisoner Sajad Zare was released from Adelabad Prison in Shiraz after completing his sentence.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on September 26,he was transferred to the detention facility of the intelligence office where he was interrogated for two days. Thereafter, he was sent back to Adelabad prison where he was kept in the quarantine section until his release.

On May 24 of this year, Zare was granted furlough and went back to prison on July 11.

Zare was arrested by the intelligence unit of the Revolutionary Guards on February 10, 2020, and transferred to the detention facility of the intelligence unit in Shiraz. After completing the interrogation process, he was relocated to Adelabad Prison.

Addressing the first part of his case, the revolutionary court sentenced him to 17 months imprisonment on a charge related to “offensive statements against the supreme leader of Iran” and to 7 months on a charge of “propaganda against the regime”.

For the second part, he was condemned to five years imprisonment for the charge of “blasphemy”. The latter was reduced to 2 years by the court of appeal held in Tehran.

Zare is 33 years old and a resident of Shiraz.

Activist and Teacher Aziz Ghasemzadeh Still Incommunicado in Detention

Posted on by A MN
Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News, Prisoners, Students
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After eight days, teacher and union activist Aziz Ghasemzadeh is still  incommunicado in a detention facility of the intelligence office in Rudsar County in Gilan Province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Ghasemzadeh has so far been denied access to a lawyer, phone calls and in-person visits.

On September 26 this year, security forces arrested the educator at his parents’ home in Rudsar. During the arrest, security forces inspected the house and confiscated several of Ghasemzadeh’s personal belongings.

The arrest took place the day after working and retired teachers held protests in 36 cities across the country, which were organized by the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations.

According to HRANA, Ghasemzadeh is still being denied access to his lawyer and his temporary detention period has been extended. As of this writing, the charges against him are unknown.

 

 

Eight Street Booksellers Arrested by Security Police of NAJA

Posted on by A MN
Cultural, Freedom of Expression, News, Prisoners
booksellers detained, Citizen arrests, Citizen detention, Citizens arrested, Citizens detained, IBNA, NAJA, NAJA police, Security police of NAJA, Tehran, Tehran Province

On Saturday, October 2, Tehran’s Security Police of NAJA arrested eight street booksellers for allegedly selling illegal books.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting IBNA, the police confiscated some of the books.

One of the members of the Workgroup for Protecting the Rights of Publishers and Booksellers called these detained booksellers “distributors of illegal and smuggled books”.

The member claimed that part of these confiscated books is the works of the supporters of the restoration of the monarchy in Iran as well as illegal books and unpermitted hard copies of bestselling books.