Arrest of CEO of Azarab Factory; Workers' Strike at Hepco and Azarab Continues

As the strike of hundreds of workers at the Azarab and Hepco factories in Arak continues, news agencies have reported the arrest of the CEO of Azarab. According to ILNA news agency, Mohammad Taghi Abai Hazaveh, the director general of the Cooperative, Labor, and Social Welfare Office of Markazi Province, stated on Tuesday, October 3, that the CEO of Azarab was arrested by judicial order, adding that "there is currently no further information on this matter." In this regard, Kiumars Azizi, the police chief of Markazi Province, said that the CEO of Azarab was summoned and arrested by the police on Sunday, October 2, under a judicial order. This police official added: "The reason for the arrest will be announced by judicial authorities." Nevertheless, Abolfazl Pouroufaei, the head of the Coordination Council of Islamic Labor Councils of Markazi Province, told ILNA that the CEO of Azarab was "one of the factors behind the unrest in recent days in the province." According to him, "after the gathering of workers at this factory and the occurrence of unfortunate events, the factory officials deposited the workers' salaries of 1.8 million tomans, which they could have deposited before the workers' protests. Therefore, it is inferred that the mismanagement of the CEO led to such incidents and destabilized the security of the province." Mr. Pouroufaei's reference to unfortunate events pertains to the riot police's attack on striking workers at the Hepco and Azarab factories on September 19. The riot police also attacked inside the Azarab factory on September 20. In these attacks, an unknown number of workers from both factories were injured and hospitalized. This issue has drawn significant criticism. Among others, a total of 11 members of parliament issued warnings to the Minister of Interior in two separate letters on Sunday. So far, there has been no news of a response from Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli to these letters. This comes at a time when he stated in October 2013 to ILNA that "confrontation is not a suitable approach in response to labor protests" and that "the voices of protesters in labor gatherings should be heard alongside those of industrial owners." In this context, Ali Motahari, the deputy speaker of parliament, announced on Sunday that the right to protest in the Iranian constitution "is preserved not only for workers but for all people, provided it does not contradict Islamic laws and is not armed, and such protests should not be prevented." Meanwhile, the riot police's attack on workers has drawn criticism from several labor organizations, including the Free Workers Union of Iran, the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, and the Syndicate of Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company. This is while Kiumars Azizi, the police chief of Markazi Province, on Thursday, September 21, in response to criticisms regarding the riot police's attack on workers in Arak, stated that the police "in some cases are compelled to use their legal powers to stabilize and establish public security." In this regard, according to the Mizan news agency, affiliated with the judiciary, Abdollahi, the head of the judiciary in Markazi Province, emphasized that the pursuit of workers' demands should not lead to street protests, traffic jams, street blockages, and disturbances for the public, stating: "Such actions benefit no one and are not advisable." The strike of Hepco and Azarab workers continues. Mohammad Taghi Abai Hazaveh, the director general of the Cooperative, Labor, and Social Welfare Office of Markazi Province, stated on Tuesday to ILNA that the workers of Azarab and Hepco are present at their factories but have halted work due to protests over months of unpaid wages, and despite being present at work, they are sitting idle in the factory premises. He noted: "Workers are protesting against the chaotic job situation and months of unpaid wage claims, and their situation needs to be addressed." Previously, ILNA reported that in the second meeting of the ministers of industry, mining, labor, and economy on Saturday, October 1, a resolution was passed regarding the problems of the Hepco and Azarab factories in Arak. According to this report, in this meeting regarding the situation of Hepco, "the Privatization Organization was tasked to pay all the debts of this factory to the workers within a few days and to ensure full oversight over the performance of the new shareholder of Hepco." Previously, Hepco workers had protested against the inability of the new shareholder of this factory and demanded the return of ownership of this unit to the government.