According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a number of protests took place this week in Iran. Read our recap below for details, photos, and videos from the demonstrations.
Saturday, April 2
A number of the residents of the southern part of Kerman Province protested against a water transfer project transferring water from the Halil river to outside the county. They gathered before a workshop on the construction site.
Forood Rafati, the environmental activist commented: “Drilling this water transfer tunnel to transfer water from tributaries of the river has been justified for providing water for Kerman city. In fact, however, this water is going to supply water for the industries and tourist facilities. This project has diverted groundwater route which causes droughts and damages for walnut gardens in the villages of this area.”
A number of seasonal workers of the Water and Sewerage Department of Khuzestan Province gathered before the Governorate building of this province to protest against low wages, lack of any bonuses and unpaid the end of year bonuses for previous years. The workers said the employer responds to their protest by threatening to fire them.
Sunday, April 3
The workers of the Company SAIPA in East Azerbaijan Province went on strike in protest against selling the company stock which may lead to eventual mass layoffs of about 600 workers.
Monday, April 4
A number of citizens who lost their money by fraudulent acts in a cryptocurrency network known as “King Money”, run by the Baadraan Gostaran Company, held protests before the Public Affairs Building of the Judiciary in Tehran. They asked for compensation for their financial losses and the prosecution of the fraudsters.
A number of farmers gathered in front of the Justice building in Isfahan to protest against the mismanagement which has caused water shortage and the drying up of Zayandeh-Rud river.
Tuesday, April 5
A number of the retirees of Iran Telecommunication Company in Tehran, Semnan, Gilan, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Ardabil, Zanjan and Sirjan gathered before the company building in these cities. They protested against the failure to comply with regulations enacted in 2011 and a delay in receiving non-cash rations and medical allowances.
About 200 workers of Rasht Municipality held protests before the governorate building of Gilan to protest against a reduction in their wages and end of year bonuses.
A group of student parents in Fars Province gathered before the Ministry of Education and protested against reopening schools and holding in-person classes during Covid-19 pandemics.
Wednesday, April 6
A number of student parents in Bandar-Abbas city gathered before a school in this city and protested against holding in-person classes during covid-19 pandemics. They said that the number of students sitting in each class is too large to meet the required physical distance between students within classrooms.
A group of workers working for the Waste Management Organization of the Bojnurd Municipality gathered before the governorate building in this city. These workers raised concerns about eventual layoffs, reduction in wages and worsening job conditions following the disbanding of the organization and outsourcing to the contractors.
A group of workers of the Lorestan Agro-Industry Company gathered in their workplace to ask for modifications in their job contracts. They said that in violation of labour codes, in their contracts, raising wages has been conditioned to some workers’ agreements with unfair new conditions.
A number of daily wage workers of the Ilam Petrochemical Company held protests before the governorate building of Ilam. One of the protestors commented: “We are about 600 workers who are working in three shifts and hard conditions without any extra payment.”
“Currently we are working with minimum wages and hardly afford livelihood. We have not even received the end of year bonuses,” another worker added.
A group of citizens who own pieces of land in an area in Pardis County, Tehran Province, gathered before the Administrative Court of Justice. They protested against the efforts of Omran Pardis New Town Company to grab their lands.
About 60 workers of Behbahan Municipality went on strike and gathered in a square of this city to protest against unpaid wages. The Municipality has told them that due to the budget shortfalls, the Municipality can pay them at best once in three months.
Thursday, April 7
For the second consecutive day, the workers of the Lorestan Agro-Industry Company gathered at their workplace to ask for modifications in their employment contracts. They said that “the employer does not accept to raise the wages and told them that everyone who is not happy with that can leave.”
A number of student parents held protests before the Ministry of education in Behbahan to protest against holding in-person classes, which increase the risk of contracting Covid-19.
