Four Labor Activists Arrested in Iran Ahead of Labor Day

On Wednesday, security police arrested Ibrahim Madadi and Davood Razavi, two board members of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, ahead of Labor Day (May 1). An informed source told Radio Farda: "The security police, who had arrest warrants for Mr. Madadi and Mr. Razavi, also searched their homes." On Tuesday, Mahmoud Salehi and Osman Esmaeili, two labor activists in the city of Saqqez, were also arrested. Previously, there had been reports of pressure and arrests of several members of the Coordination Committee to Help Establish Labor Organizations, including Reza Amjadi. These arrests and security pressures against members of independent labor organizations have occurred ahead of International Workers' Day on May 1. In recent years, many labor activists and workers have been arrested and imprisoned in Tehran and other cities on Labor Day. The last gathering and march of workers in Tehran on Labor Day dates back to 2007. However, this year, the Secretary-General of the Workers' House announced the decision of the Committee for Commemorating Labor Week to hold a Labor Day march. Nevertheless, about 100 workers from Tehran gathered three days before Labor Day in front of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, demanding an increase in workers' wages and the release of labor activists. Recently, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Islamic Labor Councils of Iran announced that 70% of Iranian workers live below the poverty line.