Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, September 6, 2019–Workers of the Azarab company in Arak, central Iran, continued their rallies on Wednesday, September 4, despite authorities summoning them for questioning and resorting to threats. This was the second consecutive day that these workers were holding a demonstration, marching the long distance between the factory and downtown Arak.
The protesting workers were seen chanting:
“We will not live under the weight of cruelty”
“No to these conditions”
“One less case of embezzlement and our problems will be resolved”
“If our problems are not resolved, the city will witness an uprising”
On Wednesday morning, various security and provincial officials gathered in the Arak’s amphitheater in an attempt to prevent the workers from holding their rally. The workers voiced their protests to these measures and continued with their scheduled demonstration.
On Tuesday, the Azarab workers spread empty table sheets on the ground and marched the streets of Arak while chanting in iron, “Death to workers, hail to oppressors.”
On Wednesday, the Azarab workers expressed their support of protesting HEPCO workers in this same city. They were seen chanting, “Viva HEPCO, Long live HEPCO.”
In the city of Qazvin, northwest Iran, a group of employees of a factory manufacturing counters held a rally on Wednesday protesting not receiving their already delayed paychecks. This was the fourth consecutive day of these protests held outside the Qavin Province governor’s office.
The demonstrating workers were heard protesting the transfer of this factory – under the pretext of privatization – to regime insiders seeking to plunder the workers.
“The Counter Manufacturing Company is a disgrace to privatization,” they chanted.
In Shiraz, south-central Iran, locals of a hand-crafting district held a rally protesting skyrocketing electricity prices as authorities have raised the fees by eight-fold. This rally was held on Wednesday inside the city’s Electricity Department.
Steel workers holding a protest rally in Ahvaz, southwest Iran (File Photo)
In reports from Ahvaz, southwest Iran, 41 workers of the local Steel Company have been summoned by authorities for questioning. It is said that these workers have been summoned for authorities to inform them of a court ruling in regards to their protest rallies held months ago.
Disrupting national security, illegal protests and chanting various political slogans are among the issues referred to by authorities in this summoning. The Ahvaz Steel Company employees held numerous protest rallies through the course of 2018.
