Demonstrations of Teachers and Pensioners in 21 Provinces on International Workers’ Day

On Sunday, May 1st, 2022, workers and teachers despite massive security measures, and the arrest of a number of them from previous days, teachers and workers held protest rallies in many cities across Iran they demanded their rights.

Teachers protested in front of education departments in other cities including Arak, Kermanshah, Qazvin, Shiraz, Ahvaz, Bushehr, Saqez, Nourabad Fars, Homayoun Shahr, Tabriz, Karaj, Aligudarz, Yazd, Isfahan, Harsin, Khorramabad, and more cities across Iran.

In several cities, regime repressive forces threatened and arrested protesters, especially women, beat elderly pensioners with batons, and took them away in vans. The demonstrators shouted that the era of bullying was over.

In their May Day statement, the workers said that teachers and workers in Iran have been denied their basic universal rights, including wages above the poverty line, health care, social security, and the right to assembly and protests.

Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the (NCRI), hailed the protesting teachers, workers, and said, “Once again, you took to the streets across Iran, called for unity, and shouted, “Prison is not a place for teachers, Iran is not a place for tyrants.”

The slogans protesters chanted were as below : “Imprisoned teachers must be released!” “Teachers don’t belong in prison!” “Iran is no place for cruelty!”

PARIS, FRANCE, May 2, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — On Sunday, May 1st, 2022, on International Workers’ Day, despite severe repressive and security measures, and the arrest and intimidation of a number of teachers from the previous days, teachers and pensioners held protest rallies in at least 55 cities in 21 provinces and demanded answers to their requests.

In some cities, workers joined teachers and protested.

The protesters chanted: “Political prisoners must be freed,” “Imprisoned teachers must be freed,” “Prison is not a place for teachers, Iran is not a place for tyrants” “Illiterate Raisi, this is the last warning, the teachers’ movement is ready to revolt,” “Liar Raisi, what happened to your empty promises,” “Workers, teachers must unite,” “Students, teachers must unite,” “Our enemy is here (state), they lie, saying its America” “If one embezzlement (referring to state-backed plundering) is prevented, our problems would be solved.”

Due to the security atmosphere and the large presence of plainclothes security forces, the freedom-loving teachers in Tehran held a rally in the park and areas adjacent to the Ministry of Education.

Teachers protested in front of education departments in other cities including Arak, Kermanshah, Qazvin, Shiraz, Ahvaz, Bushehr, Saqez, Nourabad Fars, Homayoun Shahr, Tabriz, Karaj, Aligudarz, Yazd, Isfahan, Harsin, Khorramabad, Yasuj, Langarud, Dehdasht, Delfan, Rasht, Shooshtar, Marivan, Dehgolan, Islamabad Gharb, Gachsaran, Shahreza, Pol Dokhtar, Ardabil, Kamyaran, Lahijan, Izeh, Qom, Masjed Soleyman, Mahshahr, Sanandaj, Borujerd, Qazvin, Khorrambid Fars, Torbat Heydariyeh, Tonekabon, Qir and Kazerun, Mamasani, Urmia, Neyshabur, Bojnurd, and Khorrambid.

In several cities, regime repressive forces threatened and arrested protesters, especially women, beat elderly pensioners with batons, and took them away in vans. The demonstrators shouted that the era of bullying was over.

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), hailed the protesting teachers, workers, and pensioners and said, “Once again, on Workers’ Day, you took to the streets across the country, called for unity, and shouted prison is not a place for teachers, Iran is not a place for tyrants.”

“Yes, the people and the Resistance, with unity and solidarity, will sweep the oppressive and criminal mullahs from Iran and will liberate this beautiful homeland,” she added.

In Tehran, security forces had surrounded and blocked the Majlis (parliament) and its surrounding streets to prevent teachers from holding their rallies. The teachers held their demonstration in one of the nearby parks.

The teachers are demanding the full implementation of the government service law, the “Teachers Ranking” bill, and the adjustment of salaries according to growing inflation rates and the depreciation of the national currency.

The teachers are fighting for their most basic rights, including the increase of their wages above the poverty line, which currently stands at around 120-140 million rials per month. Most teachers receive half of that amount.

According to the regime’s own media, there is a 40-percent gap between the income of teachers and the costs of living.

In their May Day statement, the teachers said that teachers and workers in Iran have been denied their basic universal rights, including wages above the poverty line, health care, social security, and the right to assembly and protest.

So far, the regime has either ignored the teachers’ pleas or has responded with force and suppression.

In the past few months, the regime’s security forces have arrested dozens of teachers and labor activists. Some have been given heavy sentences or fines, and others have been summoned to court.

The regime is doing everything it can to intimidate the public to prevent protests from taking place. But the teachers have returned to the streets nonetheless and are reiterating their demands. These rallies are taking place against the backdrop of several rounds of nationwide protests by teachers in the past year.

Some of the slogans the teachers were chanting on Sunday included:

“Imprisoned teachers must be released!” “The [Education] Minister is a disgrace!” “Teachers don’t belong in prison!” “Iran is no place for cruelty!”

Videos obtained from the protests show security presence in cities where rallies are taking place. In some cities, security forces have attacked protesters. Some reports indicate that at least 15 teachers were arrested during Sunday’s protests.

Shahin Gobadi
NCRI
+33 6 61 65 32 31
email us here

The teachers are demanding the release of several colleagues arrested and imprisoned for taking part in protests Iranian teacher rallies in recent months.