Criticism from the Workers' Secretariat of Khuzestan over the Arrest of 24 Workers in Ahvaz

The Workers' Secretariat of Khuzestan province criticized the arrest of 24 contract workers from the municipality of Ahvaz who had gathered to protest the two-month delay in their wages. According to a report on Tuesday (June 25) by ILNA news agency, following a labor gathering on June 24, 70 contract workers from the municipality of district four in Ahvaz, 24 of the demonstrators were arrested by law enforcement. The report states that the gathering began at 8 AM and the workers were arrested at 9 AM. ILNA noted that the arrested workers 'spent last night in detention and are expected to be transferred to court today to form a legal case.' These workers were arrested while they had 'not received any wages since the beginning of this year.' Ayar Hosseini, head of the Workers' Secretariat of Khuzestan province, criticized the arrest of these workers, stating that 'contract workers of the municipality of district four in Ahvaz are below the minimum wage and even work on holidays.' He added that under these conditions, after not receiving their wages for two months, 'they had no choice but to gather.' Hosseini severely criticized the employer for 'using law enforcement and judicial agents as a tool to confront the demands of these workers instead of responding to their demands.' He considered the weekly gatherings of municipality workers in Ahvaz as a sign of 'disarray in their job and living conditions.' According to the Workers' Secretariat of Khuzestan, in the past two weeks, workers from various areas of the municipality of Ahvaz have held four labor gatherings. Hosseini also criticized the negligence of 'supervisory bodies' such as the municipality and city council regarding the performance of contracting companies and 'the failure of labor offices to resolve labor disputes.' He stated that the chaotic situation of workers in Ahvaz is 'the result of the lack of oversight by legal authorities and negligence in fulfilling responsibilities.' The arrest of these 24 workers comes shortly after 17 dismissed workers from the Agh Dareh gold mine in West Azerbaijan were subjected to flogging in addition to monetary fines. Although the implementation of these sentences has been criticized even by official authorities in Iran, on June 7, nine iron ore miners from Bafq in Yazd province were sentenced to imprisonment and dozens of lashes. In the past, several workers and labor activists in various parts of Iran have been sentenced to endure lashes, which have been executed in some cases.