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, December 31
About 250 workers of the tile manufacturing company Kashi Tabriz went on strike and assembled at the workplace to ask for a wage raise.
Residents of the village Omar, located in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, assembled to ask the governor to employ more native workers in the nearby copper mine. The governor was visiting the mine at the time.
A number of citizens in Galikesh County, located in Golestan Province, assembled and marched to show their support from Sunni Imam Mohammad Hossein Gorgij and to protest against his removal as Imam. Reportedly, many security and law enforcement agents surveilled the protest.
Saturday, January 1
A number of retirees of the Shiraz Telecommunication Company assembled before the Worker House office (a semi-governmental national trade union center) to ask for their pension demands. According to these protesters, the government has made the payments conditional to the reopening of the company, which does not seem likely to take place.
Residents of the village Zardin in Yazd Province assembled before the governorate building to protest against a water transfer project, which by digging ten wells, threatens the village with drought.
A group of contracted teachers in Mashhad assembled before the building of the Ministry of Education to ask for their demands.
Sunday, January 2
A group of retired workers of the mining company Sangrud assembled before Parliament in Tehran to protest against unpaid pensions. They said that although the Article 90 Commission of the Parliament has obliged the Social Security Organization to compensate the retirees, they have not received anything.
About 70 workers working on the Shafa-Rud Dam project in Gilan Province held protests on the work premises. They asked that 7 months of delayed payments and 4 months of unpaid employers’ contribution for insurance be paid. 800 workers have lost their jobs as a result of halting construction on the dam.
A number of pensioners of the Social Security Organization in Rasht City assembled in front of the governorate building to demand the freedom of detained worker activist Ismail Gerami.
For several consecutive days, workers of the petrochemical company Regal assembled on company premises to ask for implementation of the “Job Classification Plan.”
Retirees and pensioners of Fulad Steel Company assembled before the company’s pension fund departments in Isfahan, Ahvaz and Tehran cities. They demanded that the company take steps towards raising wages to above the poverty line, closing the disparity in wages, and addressing supplementary insurance issues.
A group of mining workers in Ahar City assembled at their workplace to ask for their demands.
The workers of the Zinc Production Factory of Bandar Abbas assembled before the Hormozgan governorate building to protest against the shortening of their contracts.
In Yazd and Isfahan cities, a number of contracted teachers along with some students and their parents, assembled before the governorate building of Yazd as well as the office of one of the parliament members in Isfahan. They protested against a new regulation whereby their salary will be halved compared to last year and their insurance to reduced to 21 days in a month.
Personnel of the Post Office assembled in front of the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology to protest against low wages.
The workers of Rangin Nakh Company held protests before Semnan’s governorate building to demand unpaid wages that have accumulated since 2014. “We are about 50 workers who have been asking for our demands, about which, unfortunately, nobody has done anything after eight years,” one of the protestors commented.
Monday, January 3
A group of students protested before the entrance of the University of Tehran to protest against the surging price of textbooks and other educational self-help books mandated for the National Entrance Exam.
Tuesday, January 4
More than 100 shareholders of a shopping mall construction project known as the Commercial and Cultural Complex Adineh assembled first before the Justice Building in Gilan Province and then the building of the company. They protested against an eight year delay in completing the project. After 12 years, this complex is still half-completed.
Residents of the villages Nasr-Abad and Ali-Abad assembled and marched before a cattle breeding center to protest against pollution caused by the center. The protesters claimed that animal wastes from the cattle breeding center have polluted water wells in these villages.
A group of citizens who have pre-purchased cars from Rigan-Khodro held protests before the office of the President. According to these protesters, they have not received their cars after three years.
A group of injured veterans of the Iran-Iraq war assembled in front of the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs to protest against and unfinished housing project known as Safir. The project is unfinished after 10 years.
Wednesday, January 5
A number of students of medical sciences and pharmacy protested before the Ministry of Health building in Tehran against unhealthy conditions in student dormitories where COVID-related protocols are not in compliance. They also protested against holding in-person exams, which increase the risk of contracting COVID-19.
A group of applicants for the housing project “Meli Maskan” held protests before the building of Ministry of Roads & Urban Development. According to these protesters, they have been asked to pay 50 million tomans (11900 USD) as the second payment installment, despite the construction project remaining in its initial phase a year and a half after the launch date. According to the road map of plan, they should have completed the foundation.
A number of famers from Falavarjan County, located in Isfahan Province, assembled before the office building of Ministry of Agriculture Jihad to ask for their demands. According to these farmers, no one from the ministry has responded to them after several days.
