Condemnation of Chador Molu Workers to 'Prison and Flogging' Following Employer's Complaint

The expelled secretary of the Chador Molu Mining Workers' Union in Yazd Province announced that five workers from this mine have been sentenced to one year of prison and 'flogging' following last year's labor protests. According to the Iranian Labor News Agency, ILNA, Bahram Hosseini Nejad, the union's secretary, stated on Wednesday, April 1, that due to the 'age' of these workers and their lack of 'criminal record', their flogging sentence has been changed to a three million rial fine and the one-year prison sentence has been converted to five years of suspended prison. Mr. Hosseini Nejad emphasized: 'The initial court issued this heavy sentence for these five individuals... for disturbing public order and tranquility, while last year's protests were held as sit-ins at the workplace and fundamentally cannot have a public aspect.' According to Mr. Hosseini Nejad, the employer of this mine identified these five workers as 'leaders of last year's labor protests and has always sought serious action against these workers to serve as a lesson for other protesting workers.' As reported by ILNA, the Chador Molu mine employs over 2,170 workers. Over the past two years, these workers have demanded the implementation of a job classification plan, increased bonuses, and the reinstatement of Bahram Hosseini Nejad, the expelled union secretary, and have repeatedly protested and gone on strike. Following these protests, several workers from this mine have been arrested and summoned to court over the past two years. Among them, 38 workers were detained between January 29 and February 2, 2014, and were released after a few days. Additionally, in 2015, 31 workers from this mine were summoned to Branch 101 of the judiciary in Ardakan County, Yazd Province, following a complaint from the employer. According to ILNA, on Wednesday, March 10, 2015, a court session was held for 28 of these workers to address a remaining charge, during which five workers were sentenced to one year of prison and 'flogging', while the other summoned workers were acquitted. The issuance of flogging and prison sentences for protesting workers has precedent. Meanwhile, the Iranian Labor News Agency reported on Tuesday, September 15, 2014, that the general court (criminal) of Imam Khomeini Port sentenced four workers from the Razi Petrochemical Company to six months in prison and fifty lashes. Strikes are not recognized under the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran. However, some labor activists believe that Article 142 of the Labor Law grants workers the right to strike. Article 142 emphasizes that if disagreements regarding various provisions of this law or previous contracts or any issues requested by the parties for concluding a new contract lead to a work stoppage while the worker is present at the workshop or a deliberate reduction in production by workers, the arbitration board is obliged to promptly address the dispute based on the request of either party or labor and employer organizations and to announce its opinion.