Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, December 23, 2019—Teachers across Iran were seen responding to a previous call issued for a nationwide strike on Monday, December 23. Initials reports from the cities of Bushehr, Saqqez, Marivan, and Sanandaj indicate teachers refusing to show up in class and launching their new strike.
The teachers on strike are protesting inequality in paychecks and pensions for working and retired teachers, skyrocketing inflation and demanding the release of their jailed colleagues.
December 23 – #Iran
Teachers across the country are launching a nationwide strike. Initial reports from the cities of Bushehr, Saqqez and Marivan.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/ScK9lNxgDB— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) 23 December 2019
Teachers across Iran are on strike – Monday, December 23, 2019
In reports from Tehran, retirees from across the country rallied outside the regime’s Majlis (parliament) on Monday to hold a protest gathering coinciding with the strike launched by teachers throughout Iran. The rally participants were holding signs reading, “People’s demands should not be responded with bullets and imprisonment” and “We will continue our efforts until our demands are met.”
December 23 – Tehran, #Iran
Retirees from across the country rallying outside the regime's Majlis (parliament) and holding a protest gathering coinciding with a nationwide strike by teachers.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/ZeY6VPfACl— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) 23 December 2019
On Saturday, once again workers of the Fasa sugar cube factory in Fars Province, south-central Iran, held a rally outside the local governor’s office protesting not receiving their wages for the past four months. These workers are also being deprived of their insurance pensions for the past three months and their job status remains in the balance.
Workers protesting at the Fasa sugar cube factory in Fars Province, south-central Iran
In Shahr-e Kord of Isfahan Province, central Iran, employees of a local cement factory held a rally outside the factory on Saturday demanding their delayed paychecks and protesting harsh working conditions. The regime’s Maskan (Housing) Foundation is the shareholder of this factory.
Also on Saturday, contract workers of the Hatami factory in the Chadormalu industrial complex of Yazd Province launched a strike and held a rally protesting the officials’ refusal to equalize working conditions.
Workers rallying at the Chadormalu industrial complex of Yazd Province central Iran – December 21, 2019
In other reports, 23 employees of the Ghazvin steel factory have been laid off from work as their contracts came to an end on Saturday, December 21. Around 150 employees are working in this site and 23 have been laid off from work during the past month.
These workers have not received their wages for the past two months and officials are not providing any reasoning. These workers have not even received their New Year bonuses or other pensions since March of this year. Their insurance pensions have not been deposited for the past two months, either.
23 workers of the Ghazvin steel factory are laid from work – Iran
These protests are in continuation of the November uprising that shook the very pillars of the mullahs’ regime. Officials are voicing ongoing concerns in this regard and the necessity to take action and prevent any such recurrence.
The Iranian opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) has registered and published the names of 547 individuals killed by the mullahs’ regime. At least 1,500 civilians were murdered by the mullahs’ oppressive security forces and these numbers are unfortunately subject to rising. Reports obtained by the MEK indicate over 12,000 are behind bars.
Iranian opposition President Maryam Rajavi, head of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), is calling on the United Nations to dispatch a fact-finding mission to visit those prisons where detainees of the recent November uprising are being held. In the absence of such supervision, the mullahs’ regime in Iran enjoys a free will to carry any and all crimes.
International dignitaries are continuously condemning the brutal crackdown ordered by Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei against the nationwide demonstrations. Horrific images show members of the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) shooting from roof-tops or point-blank range at unarmed demonstrators. In many cases the Iranian regime deployed helicopters and tanks to confront to crackdown on the people, the statement adds.
Concerning is the fact that senior regime officials are calling for the execution of arrested protesters, the statement continues. Iranian regime president Hassan Rouhani backed oppressive measures against demonstrators and his advisor threatened the MEK – whom senior officials consider the main element behind the recent uprising – to a new killing spree similar to the 1988 massacre of political prisoners. Over 30,000 political prisoners were executed through the course of summer 1988.
The international community’s silence in regard to these crimes, being one of the most horrific cases of the 21st century, is inexcusable. Senior Iranian regime officials must be held to account.
