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 16

A number of job seekers gathered before the Arvand Petrochemical Company in Bandar Mahshahr to protest against prioritizing the recruitment of non-local workers. Reportedly, ignoring the frequent requests of these local workers, the company management recently recruited dozens of non-local workers.

 

A group of poultry farmers in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province assembled in Shahrekord City to protest against the shortage of livestock inputs, the low price of chickens, the ban on exporting the product out of provinces and the lack of support from the State Livestock Affairs Logistics Company.

The personnel of the Water and Sewerage Company of Behbahan assembled and protested at their workplace. They have not yet received the last two months’ wages as well as the end of year bonuses. They said that their problems have begun after the merger of the company with the Rural Water and Sewerage Company.

In Isfahan, a group of farmers gathered adjacent to a water channel to protest against not receiving their irrigation water.

 

Sunday, April 17

For the second consecutive day, the personnel of the Water and Sewerage Company of Behbahan gathered and protested at their workplace. They have not yet received the last two months’ wages as well as the end of year bonuses.

A group of workers of Iran National Steel Industrial Group gathered before the governorate building in Ahvaz to demand raising wages and extra payment for inclement weather.


A number of the retirees of the Social Security Organization held protests in Ahvaz, Bojnurd, Ilam, Rasht, Arak, Ardabil, Mashhad and Kermanshah and Isfahan before the organization’s headquarters in each city. They demanded levelling up wages and closing wage disparities.

 

 

 

 

 

A group of citizens of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province assembled and rallied against water shortage caused by water transfer projects.

A number of Railway Services & Technical Construction Engineering Company in Zanjan held protests against delays in payments and not receiving Ramadan coupons. Reportedly, they have not received any wages since two months ago.

 

Monday, April 18

A group of truck drivers and other citizens who have purchased imported trucks gathered before the Presidential Administration of Iran in Tehran. They protested against the increase in customs tariffs and clearance fees and the prices for car scrapping. They said that brokers have caused an increase in the expenses of scrapping a car. According to the regulation, the applicants for imported trucks have to provide a certificate of scrapping a used vehicle, in order to receive a car license plate for his imported truck.

A number of Pharmacists gathered before the building of the Food and Drug Administration in Tehran to protest against the illegal status of the Pharmacists Association, low and undetermined drug tariffs.

Tuesday, April 19

A number of the residents of the village Saravan in Rasht province held protests against ill-managed landfill sites leading to waste accumulation in forest areas. In recent days, they hampered the garbage trucks to come into the area and asked for addressing this issue.

A group of green maintenance workers of Robat Karim city located in Tehran province gathered and protests against low wages and their poor living conditions.

A number of laid-off workers of the Neyshabur municipality gathered before the city council to protest against job uncertainties. One of the protestors said: “We are about 96 workers of the municipality of zone 2 who are working for many years. Since the beginning of new year, after leaving the contractor, the municipality has suspended us.” According to them, the municipality has broken its promise to give them a contract with the new contractor.

A group of personnel of Islamic Azad University in Mashhad city held protests before the university building to ask for their demands.

A group of workers of Isfahan Tile Company gathered in front of the governorate building in Isfahan city. They protested against factory closure, lack of job security and temporary employment contracts.

 

Several technical protection and safety services advisers gathered before the Ministry of Cooperatives Labor and Social Welfare to protest against uncertainties regarding their job. According to a prior announcement, the government will not extend their license after the June of this year.

A group of people who have pre-purchased cars from Ramak Khodro Company protested before Tehran Province Justice Building. Reportedly, about 7000 people have not received their pre-purchased vehicles after several years.

A group of personnel of the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare assembled before the Ministry to ask for raising wages.

A group of people who lost their money to the frauds of Negin Khordo and Irtoya Companies gathered before Judiciary Public Relations Office in Tehran and asked for more transparency in the legal case proceeding.

Likewise, a group of people who lost their money to frauds of Meftah Rahnavard Khordo Company gathered before the Head of the Judiciary Office. After five years, they have not yet received any vehicles from this company.

A number of truck drivers of Rudbar city located in Kerman Province protested against low Truck fares determined by the Road Maintenance & Transportation Organization of the province.

 

Wednesday, April 22

For several consecutive days, the residents of the village Saravan in Rasht province held protests against unhygienic and ill-managed landfill sites leading to waste accumulation in forest areas. The protesters said that they will continue the protest until their demands are addressed and dumping ground in the forest becomes forbidden.

A group of truck drivers gathered before the Parliament in Tehran to protest against the increasing costs of scrapping cars caused by the role of brokers and intermedia companies.  They also protested against the lack of supplementary insurance and high prices of spare car parts.

A group of the personnel of subsidiary companies of The National Iranian South Oil Company gathered each at their company premises. They asked for a 12-hour shift instead of an 8-hour one.

 

Thursday, April 21

In response to a call by the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, retired and working educators in dozens of cities across the country gathered in front of the building of the Ministry of Education. During these protests, dozens of protestors were arrested by the police.

Once again, the residents of village Saravan in Rasht province protested against ill-managed landfill sites leading to waste accumulation in forest areas.

A number of seasonal workers of the Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company Haft-Tappeh went on strike and gathered in company premises. They demanded employment contracts.

A number of the residents of the village Emamzadeh Bagher in Tehran Province gathered beside the entrance road of the village to protest against the lack of proper telecommunication infrastructure.

 

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.

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, 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.

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, many of which were continuations of ongoing movements.  Read our recap below for details, photos, and videos from the demonstrations.

Saturday, November 27 

A number of seasonal workers at the Haft-Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company assembled today in Shush City, first before the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare and then in front of the Governorate building. Their demands regarded issues with their contracts. Last Thursday, this group of workers assembled in front of the office of Parliament member Kaab Amir.

A group of personnel at Distribution Electrical Company in Golestan Province assembled in front of their company’s building, asking for permanent, official employment rather than their current temporary agreement.

Workers at petrochemical company Fajr assembled before the company entrance to protest against an increase in working hours. Reportedly, shift hours were increased from 8 to 12 without workers’ consent. According to labour code, shifts longer than 12 hours are forbidden. 

Nurses and other personnel at the Ministry of Health assembled in front of the Planning and Budget Organization building to ask for the implementation of an “extra payment plan”, a reduction in taxes, and a pay raise. Despite being enacted in 2014 by Parliament, the “extra payment plan”, has not yet been put into action after seven years.

Injured veterans of the Iran-Iraq War assembled in front of the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs in Tehran to protest against poor living conditions.

The victims of Fardadkar Amitis Company, who lost their money due to fraudulent acts by the investment company, protested before the Qoddoosi Courthouse in Tehran. About ten thousand victims have lost a combined 2500 billion tomansb (594,887,500 USD). The protesters asked to move the case from the Qoddoosi Courthouse to the Economic Crimes Court and the Branch of Economic Corruption of the Revolutionary Court.

A group of farmers in Bavy County protested for their water allocation for fall cultivation. They assembled before the Karun Irrigation Company, Eastern Lands in Ahvaz City. Despite promises, two months have passed without farmers receiving water allocation. 

A group of physicians and medical graduates working in the government sector assembled before the Medical Sciences Building in Yazd City. They protested against unfair salary calculation methods and heavy taxes.

Sunday, November 28

Families of the victims of Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 marched on the Military Courthouse where the trial of low-ranking military officers is being held. The assembly was on surveilled by many security agents. In the early hours of January 8, 2020, Flight 752 was hit by a missile sent by regime military forces. After a few days of covering up the cause of this incident, the regime admitted that the plane was hit by a missile shot from an anti-missile defense base.

 

Several families with children with SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) assembled in front of the Parliament building in Tehran to ask that their children’s medicine, necessary to treat SMA, be imported.

A group of retirees of Haft-Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company assembled at the entrance of the factory. They claimed that the years of service payment is lower than dictated by labour law.

Retirees using the Fulad Company pension fund assembled in front of pension fund offices in the cities of Ahvaz and Isfahan. They asked for a raise in pensions in order to stay above the poverty line, as well as the elimination of pension disparities and issues with supplementary insurance.

A number of truck drivers in Sarbaz County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, assembled in front of the governorate building to protest against a cut on fuel rations. They said that fuel rations for their trucks have been cut without compelling reason.

Monday, November 29

A number of retirees of airline company Homa assembled in front of Homa’s pension fund offices. They protested against delays in payments and the merger of Homa’s pension fund with the national pension fund.

In Bandar Mahshahr, a number of jobseekers assembled before the refinery tanks of the Persian Gulf Bidboland Gas Refining Company. They protested the company recruitment policy, which discriminates against native workers.

Tuesday, November 30

A number of the victims of financial frauds from financial institution Caspian assembled in front of the judiciary building in Tehran to demand the return of their investment, including profits and loss.

 

A number of residents in a nomadic area known as “Sargachineh” in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province protested in front of the provincial governorate building. Residents said that 57 hectares of land have been unlawfully assigned to one person who is not even a native of this area.

For the third consecutive day, families of children with SMA assembled in front of the parliament in Tehran to ask for the import of required medicine for their children.

A number of seasonal workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company assembled at company premises. They had been protesting for several consecutive days to demand that their contract issues be addressed.

Technical workers from various districts assembled at their workplace, Distribution Electrical Company of Tehran, to ask for permanent employment contracts. One of the workers said that many of workers have not been offered a permanent contract after 20 years.

Municipal workers in Khorramshahr City assembled in front of the governorate building to protest against a four-month delay in payments.

Dozens of workers of three copper mining companies in Varzeqan City assembled on company premises. Reportedly, these workers protested against the return of four fired managers.

 

Workers at two companies that are contracting for Petrochemical Company Apadana in Asaluyeh City went on strike to protest against the employers, who failed to keep promises regarding workers’ demands.

The teachers and educators from the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Fars, Qom and Khuzestan provinces went on strike and assembled before the buildings of the ministry of education in each province. These teachers demanded the implementation of a plan, which has already been enacted in the parliament and whereby teachers’ income will be raised in accordance with a ranking

Wednesday, December 1

About 120 retired workers of Haft-Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company assembled before the company entrance to protested a miscalculation in benefits.

For the fourth consecutive day, dozens of families with children with SMA assembled in front of parliament in Tehran to ask for the import of required medicine for their children. During this assembly, President Raisi appeared and promised to address this issue in a meeting with that included three representatives from the families.

 

Municipal service workers and gardeners in Kish protested before the building of the Kish Free Zone Organization to protest against low wages and benefits.

 

For the second consecutive day, educators in Qom City assembled before the  provincial Ministry of Education to ask for the implementation of a plan that, though passed by the parliament, have not yet been enacted.

Several retired and working school teachers in Shiraz City went on strike to demand implementation of the afore-mentioned plan.

For the second consecutive day, a number of workers of three copper mining companies in Varzeqan City assembled on company premises.

Thursday, December 2

In response to a call by the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, retired and working educators in 73 cities across the country assembled in front of the building of the Ministry of Education (or, in Tehran, Parliament) in each city. They demanded the implementation of a plan already enacted by Parliament whereby teachers’ income will be raised in accordance with a ranking.

In Qom City, a number of farmers assembled before a production cooperative company to ask for their water portion. They also protested against heavy fines for unauthorized withdrawals from wells.

For the third consecutive day, dozens of workers at three copper mining companies in Varzeqan City went on a strike and assembled at their company premises.