A Labor Organization: Sharifeh Mohammadi is Being Held 'Indefinitely' in Sanandaj Central Prison

The Committee to Pursue the Establishment of Labor Organizations in Iran reported that Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist from Rasht, is still being held 'indefinitely in Sanandaj Central Prison.' Ms. Mohammadi was arrested by the security forces of the Islamic Republic about 40 days ago. According to this report, Syros Fattahi, the husband of Sharifeh Mohammadi, stated that this labor activist had a very brief contact with her child on Tuesday, January 9. This labor organization had previously reported that she was banned from visits and phone calls and was under pressure from continuous interrogations. The Committee to Pursue the Establishment of Labor Organizations in Iran wrote that Ms. Mohammadi was transferred from Lakan Prison in Rasht to Sanandaj Central Prison on January 9 'to exert more psychological pressure.' In recent years, the security and judicial confrontations of the Islamic Republic with labor activists, teachers, and retirees have intensified. In this context, the Association for the Defense of Political Prisoners of Azerbaijanis in Iran (ADAP) reported on Tuesday, January 9, that Ali Haji, an Azerbaijani teacher and member of the board of the Teachers' Trade Association of East Azerbaijan in Jolfa, was sentenced to six months of suspension from service. According to this report, he was sentenced to suspension after he had supported imprisoned teachers and students on Instagram and protested against the killing of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the morality police. Mr. Haji had previously been summoned and interrogated by the Intelligence Department on May 1 and November 13, 2022. The confrontations with workers, teachers, and retirees have drawn widespread criticism from labor and professional organizations around the world.