HRANA Recap: This Week’s Protests in Iran

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 9

In two separate protests, a number of student parents gathered before the Ministry of Education in Ahvaz and Bandar-Abbas to protest against holding in-person classes, which according to these parents will increase the risk of contracting Covid-19.

 

A group of the medical staff of Kurdistan Province held protests before the Governorate building in Sanandaj city. They said: “For several years, we have been working with temporary contracts. During Covid pandemics, they promised to sign with us official contracts which has not yet taken place. Now that pandemics are going to end, they don’t pay attention to our demands anymore.”

On the same day also, in Sabzevar city, the medical staff of the University of Medical Sciences of this city held protests with the same demand.

A number of environmental activists gathered before the Department of Environment in Tehran to protest against setting up a petrochemical factory in the protected habitat Miankaleh located in Mazandaran Province. Set up in March in the presence of the Minister of Interior, this project has raised widespread criticism from environmental activists as well as the Department of Environment.

A number of dental residents of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences gathered before the university department to ask for their scholarships which have not been paid.

Sunday, April 10

In Karaj, Qazvin, Kermanshah, Isfahan, Tabriz, Khorramabad, Kerman, Ilam, Ahvaz, Rasht and Arak, a number of retirees of the Social Security Organization held protests before the building of this organization. They asked for raising the pension to stand above the poverty line, closing wage disparities and addressing the issues of supplementary insurance and paying the end of year bonuses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dozens of people 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.

The workers of Kian Tire Manufacturing Company gathered before the Presidential Administration to protest against the factory closure. They asked the authorities to make decisions on the assignment of factory ownership so that they can get back to work.

Monday, April 11

Some of the personnel of the National Iranian South Oil Company gathered before this company headquarter to ask for an increase in work shifting duration from 8 to 12 hours as it was during the pandemic.

A group of medical staff (Known as Health Defenders) of Lorestan Province gathered before the governorate building in Khorramabad to ask for official contracts.

A number of medical students gathered before the Ministry of Health in Tehran to protest against the flaws in holding the pre-internship exam. According to these students, there were many mistakes in the questions.

A number of the applicants of the National Housing Plan gathered before the governorate building in Qorveh city located in Kurdistan Province to protest against the assigned lands, which are lying on stone quarries and hence unfit for housing and construction.

A number of farmers in Isfahan gathered in front of the governorate building in Isfahan to ask for their demands including their water rations.

 

Tuesday, April 12

In Shiraz, Arak, Ahvaz, Tehran, Isfahan, Abadan, Ardabil, Shahin-Shahr, Kermanshah and Tabriz, the retirees of the National Iranian Oil Company gathered before the pension fund of this company to ask for their demands including closing disparities in wages.

 

 

 

 

 

A group of the residents of the University of Medical Sciences of Tehran and Shiraz gathered before the university department to ask for raising the wages.

A group of the retirees of the Telecommunication Company gathered before the building of the Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order in Tehran to ask for their demands. A video circulated on social media shows that this protest turned violent slightly due to police interference.

A group of medical staff working for the private sectors of the University of Medical Sciences of Tabriz held protests before the governorate building in Tabriz city. They demanded five months of wages that have been yet unpaid, removing the contractor companies and having official employment contracts.

A group of investors in the Caspian Credit Institution in Rasht City held protests against not receiving Bank account interest.

Wednesday, April 13

A number of taxi drivers went on strike in Urmia City in protest against poor living conditions and low fares.

A number of residents of Saravan City gathered before the governorate building to protest against the problems caused by the low voltage power supply. With such low voltage, they can hardly use cooling equipment on warm days.

Some residents of Qorveh County located in Kurdistan Province protested against building a factory on farmlands. They gathered at the construction site. One of the protestors stated: “the livelihood of hundreds of households depends on this farmlands and this construction project will endanger farmers’ livelihood in the region.”

A number of stallholders of the Tehran Central Fruit and Vegetable Market went on strike in protest against inflation. They complained that they had to sell fruits and vegetables at prices much lower than anywhere else in the free market.

 

 

Thursday, April 14

On Thursday, a number of members of the housing cooperation of Tractor Manufacturing Company held protests before the factory entrance in Tabriz. With placards in their hands, they demanded more transparency in investments and other activities.

About 400 workers of Kangan Petro Refining Company went on strike in protest against not receiving their wages. Reportedly, once their demands was not addressed, these workers left their job collectively.