Arrest Warrant Issued for 50 Workers of the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran

Simultaneously with the strike and gathering of hundreds of workers from the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran in Ahvaz, reports have emerged regarding the issuance of arrest warrants for 50 workers of this complex and threats to protesters of "contract termination." According to the Free Workers Union of Iran, following the banning of several workers from entering the complex, hundreds of their colleagues have been on strike and gathered in front of the security building of this unit since Saturday, April 25. The workers of the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran are demanding the lifting of the entry bans on their colleagues. According to this report, among the workers banned from entering since April 22 are Karim Seyahi, Peyman Shajerati, Rahim Saidi, and Hamed Basari. In this context, the Free Workers Union of Iran reported that Rahim Saidi was arrested on Sunday, April 26, in front of this complex and transferred to the security and intelligence police. The report did not mention the reason for the arrest or the charges against this worker. Prior to him, "Hafez Kananian, one of the workers of the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran, was summoned to the security and intelligence police last Wednesday and was released after several hours of interrogation." In recent years, several workers and labor activists in various parts of Iran have been arrested or imprisoned on security charges. Meanwhile, according to the Free Workers Union of Iran, the head of the security department of the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran announced that arrest warrants for about 50 workers of this complex have been issued, and they will gradually be arrested by the police. He did not mention the charges against this group of workers for whom arrest warrants have been issued. Previously, on Thursday, April 23, the police visited the homes of three workers from the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran in Ahvaz for what the Free Workers Union of Iran described as "intimidation of workers," but they were not at home. According to this report, the public relations department of the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran announced in a statement that legal action would be taken against the demonstrators and protesters, and they would have their contracts terminated. According to the Free Workers Union of Iran, currently, only the pipe-making section of the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran is active with 400 workers, while the other sections are inactive due to a lack of raw materials. Meanwhile, the Workers' Rights Defender Association reported that the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran threatened "a number of malicious individuals" in its Telegram channel, who, according to the company's management, "are pursuing their personal interests and have attempted to shut down the pipe-making section through threats and insults, preventing the loading and sale of products." According to this report, based on the decision of the CEO and the board of directors of the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran, "those who prevent production and loading of products and waste will have their entry and exit cards blocked, their contracts canceled, and will be dealt with according to regulations." According to this order, "any illegal gathering will be considered a crime, and in addition to contract termination, the perpetrators will be referred to judicial authorities." Previously, Farhad Afsharnia, the head of the Khuzestan judiciary, stated on March 4 of last year that the gathering of these workers was "not in accordance with the law" and threatened that "our patience has limits, and if their gathering continues, we will have to deal with other individuals as well." According to the Free Workers Union of Iran, the workers of this complex have firmly stated in response to these threats that their new round of protests and strikes will continue until their dismissed colleagues return to work. Four thousand workers of the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran were able to receive two months of overdue wages through strikes, marches, and gatherings in front of the Khuzestan governorate in the final weeks of last year. Nonetheless, some of their demands remain unpaid. In recent years, the non-payment of wages has become one of the biggest problems for workers, leading to labor protests across various regions of Iran. In this regard, the Fars news agency reported a few days ago on 300 labor gatherings in Khuzestan province in 1996.