Aziz Qasemzadeh Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer; This Teacher Activist Was Denied Treatment for Months in Rasht Prison

On Tuesday, the Coordination Council of Iranian Teacher Trade Unions announced that Aziz Qasemzadeh, a teacher and imprisoned labor activist, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. He stated that to prevent the spread of the cancerous mass, his prostate must be surgically removed. The Coordination Council expressed its objection to the negligence of judicial authorities and the disruption of the treatment process for political prisoners, especially imprisoned teachers, stating that judicial officials in Gilan province have repeatedly interfered in Qasemzadeh's treatment and unlawfully kept him in Rasht's Lakan prison for several months. On April 5, the Coordination Council reported that despite the end of Qasemzadeh's sentence, he was forced to return to prison. Aziz Qasemzadeh, who has 25 years of teaching experience, was sentenced to one year in prison for 'propaganda against the regime' and permanently banned from holding public office. His charges included participating in teacher protests, singing songs at protest gatherings, and giving interviews to foreign news networks. The ruling body accused him of 'inciting the teaching community to civil disobedience' and 'colluding with the sworn enemies of the Iranian nation.' In 2021, during a gathering in front of the Gilan Education Department, he stated, 'The unhealthy management in various fields, especially in education, health, and the economy, along with corruption and embezzlement, has led to a situation where the Iranian society is bent under the weight of poverty and severe inflation.' In May 2023, he participated in an online conference titled 'Dialogue for the Rescue of Iran,' where he mentioned that the educational system in Iran has become extremely class-based, making education a serious problem for low-income families. On June 1, the Coordination Council issued a statement regarding the death of Ebrahim Raisi, referring to his presidency as 'the darkest stains in the sky of the Ministry of Education.' Aziz Qasemzadeh, a prisoner teacher in Lakan prison, was granted five days of medical leave. The teacher's union stated that Ebrahim Raisi's term was one of the 'darkest' periods in education. The issuance of a dismissal order for a teacher; the Ministry of Education is against teachers. Opposition to Aziz Qasemzadeh's medical leave; teachers are still under pressure. The Coordination Council expressed concern about the physical condition of Hashem Khastari. Hundreds of teacher and labor activists warned: Aziz Qasemzadeh's life is in danger in Lakan prison.