Court Trials for Demanding 'Employment for Local Residents'; Workers of Agh-Dareh Face Security Charges

Thirty-two miners from the village of Agh-Dareh in the Takab region (West Azerbaijan) who were arrested following a protest demanding employment for local residents in front of the travertine stone mine will be tried on October 4 in the Takab Criminal Court. According to Emtedaad, lawyers Hossein Taj and Mostafa Nili state that the charges against these individuals include 'participation in kidnapping', 'gathering and colluding to commit crimes against national security', 'obstructing the right (to mine)', 'disturbing public order and comfort', 'creating commotion', 'disorder and confrontation with officials during duty through attack and resistance'. Hossein Taj, a lawyer, states: 'Given the contents of the indictment issued by the Takab Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office, it is necessary to address the dimensions and surrounding issues of the case because the charges attributed to the defendants, in addition to private and public aspects, have security characteristics.' He continues: 'Attributing security charges to those who seek to secure their basic needs through lawful work in the only existing and income-generating space is unacceptable.' Taj also mentions that according to the defendants' account, two of them went to the travertine mine in Agh-Dareh to request work but faced hostility from the authorities, leading to a dispute and the rapid intervention of law enforcement, resulting in clashes. Following these confrontations, with the arrival of locals and police forces, tensions escalated. During this time, two locals were injured by police gunfire. He emphasizes the defendants' legal right to defend themselves and the right of the injured to act as plaintiffs, stating: 'I hope that with the wisdom of judicial authorities, a decision based on law and justice will be made to address this serious problem for the residents of Agh-Dareh.' On September 6, the Shargh network reported that of the 32 detained workers from the Agh-Dareh mines in Takab, 26 were released after posting bail of 600 million tomans, but 6 remain in Urmia prison facing security charges. These workers have faced violent responses from government forces since August 1, 2023, due to their demand for 'employment for local residents' in these mines, and are now confronted with charges such as 'disturbing public order', 'acting against national security', and 'kidnapping'. Labor sources indicate that the wages for June and July for the workers from Agh-Dareh who participated in the recent protest have not been paid, and some workers released on bail are also not allowed to work. Labor protests in Agh-Dareh have been ongoing in recent years, demanding 'permanent employment'. In the most notable incidents, protesting workers have been fined and subjected to 'unprecedented' flogging sentences following complaints from employers. The Hengaw Human Rights Organization reported on August 1, 2023, that around 50 men and women from the village of Agh-Dareh in Takab were arrested during a government and special forces raid. The clashes in Agh-Dareh relate to the troubles of the gold mine.