Iranian strike

Iran’s teachers stage a 2-day strike ( Monday)

Teachers in Iran were on a nationwide strike today for the second day running.
Called by the Teachers’ Trade Association of Iran (/Kanoon e Senfi eMoalleman e Iran/), the strike followed last month’s massive protests over pay and conditions, which ended in the arrest of hundreds ofteachers as the security forces moved in to crush the action.

Labour organisations around the world and various sections of workers in Iran have protested at the regime’s brutality, calling for the release of those still in prison and the meeting of teachers’ legitimate demands.In Sunday’s and Monday’s actions nearly all the schools in Tehran remained closed. Secondary schools were reported shut, while some primary schools remained open but no teaching took place.

In addition to the capital, the strike was observed in the following cities and regions: Esfahan, Homayoon-Shahr, Shahin-Shahr, Flaverjan,Pirbekran, Bojnoord, Eslam-Shahr, Shazand, Khomein, Arak, Tafresh,Farahan, Delijan, Karaj, Saghez, Bookan, Hamedan, Aligoodarz, Ardebil,Kerman, Urumiye, Tabriz and Broojen.In Eslam-Shahr teachers were threatened.

They were told not to assemble in the school.In another development, 5 of the 9 detained teachers in the city ofHamedan, members of the Teachers’ Trade Association, were released after nearly 10 days in prison. They are: Jalilian, Foroozanfar, Sadeghi,Naderi and Najafi. The following are still in prison: Zareiee, Ghadimi,Refahiat and Gholami.In Homayoon-Shahr in Esfahan Province, 4 teachers were summoned to theInformation Ministry and detained.

They are: Mojtaba Abtahi, AbdolrasoolEmaadi, Nurullah Barkhordar and Hamid Mojizi. Their whereabouts are unknown.In the city of Kerman, the city’s education chief accused the teachers of ‘conspiracy against the system’, following which several teachers were arrested.

On Saturday 14 April, Hamid Pour Vosoogh, AlirezaRezaiee and Mohammad Reza Rezaiee were arrested and taken to Evin Prison in Tehran.The teachers’ two-day action was pre-planned and went ahead in spite of the mass arrests, harassment and intimidation by the government. There is already talk amongst teachers of further actions in the coming days.