Union Activist Nabiollah Bastani Released and Fired

HRANA News Agency – On Thursday, July 14, 2011, the trade union activist Nabiollah Bastani was released from the central prison in Chaharmahal Bakhtiari Province and was simultaneously fired from his job by the Ministry of Education.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), on January 6, 2011, Nabiollah Bastani was summoned to begin serving his one year sentence at the central prison in Chaharmahal Bakhtiari Province.Nabiollah Bastani is a labor activist who taught literature at various high schools in Farsan, Chaharmahal Bakhtiari Province.He was also the deputy cultural director of Velayat-e Faqih High School.

After six months and seven days behind bars, Nabiollah Bastani was granted a conditional release from prison.Upon his release, he was fired from his job.The Board of Education has also banned Nabiollah Bastani from teaching.Furthermore, prior to his dismissal, the Ministry of Education had refused to pay his salary.The decision to fire a teacher at the same time when he was being released from prison was rare and unexpected.