Reported by PMOI/MEK
Iran, July 17, 2019 – On Tuesday, a group of retired government employees and military personnel gathered in front of the headquarters of the Labor Ministry in Tehran, protesting the regime's lack of response to their demands.
According to local reports, the police had a heavy presence, and the regime had even brought female police officers to suppress the protesters. However, the retirees continued their protests nonetheless and held banners, demanding their rights.
In the past year, retired government employees have regularly protested for their low wages. The national currency, the rial, has plunged, but the pensions of retired employees have not changed, making it even more difficult to make ends meet. Despite several calls for the regime to adjust their wages, the protesters have received no response from government officials.
In Tuesday's protests, the retired employees also expressed solidarity with other segments of the Iranian society, including workers, teachers, and students, who have been protesting for their rights in the past months. The protesters were calling for the release of political prisoners and activists who have stood up against the regime's corrupt and destructive policies.
The protesters were chanting:
- Stellar wages [of government officials] are in contrast with public misery
- We're crying against this cruel injustice
- Imprisoned teachers must be freed
- Imprisoned workers must be freed
- Government, parliament, stop deceiving the people
- We will not stop until we reclaim our rights
- The people have never seen the injustice of this magnitude
- Teachers, students, workers, unity, unity!
- The line of poverty is 70 million rials, our salary is 20 million rials
- If [government] embezzlement is stopped, our problems will be solved
The protesters were also holding banners that read:
- Our homes have been plundered, we have no fear to expose [the government], we will stand till the end
- The one percent are making profits out of the pockets of the 99 percent
- We condemn threats and incarceration of activists
- The hands of plunderers must be cut short of the retirees' fund
Retirees protesting outside the regime’s Labor Ministry – Tehran, Iran
Retirees protesting outside the regime’s Labor Ministry – Tehran, Iran
Retirees protesting outside the regime’s Labor Ministry – Tehran, Iran
Retirees protesting outside the regime’s Labor Ministry – Tehran, Iran
Retirees protesting outside the regime’s Labor Ministry – Tehran, Iran
