International Transport Workers Federation Protests Threats of Execution Against 'Imprisoned Truck Drivers'

The International Transport Workers Federation condemned the threats from Iranian judicial officials, including the head of the judiciary in Qazvin, regarding the execution of detained truck drivers as 'unimaginable', 'inhumane', and 'unfair', calling for intervention from the International Labour Organization. In a statement published on the federation's website, Stephen Cotton urged Iranian authorities to listen to the demands of the truck drivers. He emphasized that this issue has an economic solution and cannot be resolved through threats of execution. Following a new wave of truck drivers' strikes, the head and other officials of the judiciary threatened that 'severe punishment awaits disruptors' in transportation. For instance, Mohsen Karami, the head of the Qazvin prosecutor's office, stated on October 8 that 17 people had been arrested in connection with the truck drivers' strike, saying, 'We will demand the harshest punishment for them, and if their rebellion is proven, heavy sentences such as execution await them.' Other judicial officials also accused the detainees of 'assault' and 'attack' on trucks, announcing that the punishment for 'highway robbery' awaits them. The claim of 'assault' and 'attack' on trucks comes despite previous accusations by Iranian officials against protesters in similar protests for damaging public or private property. However, protesters have denied these allegations, claiming that security forces committed these acts to create a pretext for their suppression. In this context, videos have also emerged showing security forces destroying public and private property. Previously, Mahmoud Sadeghi, Parvaneh Mafi, Soheila Jelodarzadeh, and Elias Hazrati, four representatives from Tehran, had issued a warning to the Minister of Interior, referring to the destruction of 'people's property, vehicles, and store doors' during a merchants' gathering in July, demanding 'action against the offending officers, compensation for damages, and prevention of the recurrence of such incidents in the future.' According to reports, about 200 people have been arrested in connection with the new wave of truck drivers' strikes. This strike continues, and videos of the strike in various cities in Iran were released on Saturday. One of the truck drivers' demands is the establishment of a base fare based on tons per kilometer. Meanwhile, the Fars news agency reported on Saturday that in the 209th meeting of the Supreme Council for Transportation Coordination, the internal road transport fare based on tons-kilometers was approved. Other demands of the truck drivers include reducing the price of trucks, spare parts, and tires by allocating state currency and eliminating customs duties, as well as increasing driver wages, increasing truck fares, increasing retirement pensions for drivers, enhancing road safety, renewing drivers' and truck drivers' unions through free elections, and creating welfare and health facilities for drivers at urban and border terminals. Previously, truck drivers had gone on strike with the same demands in July and June of this year, strikes that garnered support from the General Confederation of Labour, major labor unions in Italy, the Front Against Austerity in that country, and the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company Workers' Syndicate. In related news, currency fluctuations have caused 'the confusion of 12,000 trucks', and government promises to meet the demands of truck drivers continue; strikes are ongoing in some areas. Support from both foreign and domestic labor organizations for the truck drivers' strike continues, as well as merchants' strikes in some cities in Iran. The continuation of the truck drivers' strike and the arrest of 10 more individuals highlight the severe governmental crackdown and the risk of protests becoming 'underground'.