Judiciary's Reaction to Workers' Protests in Ahvaz: 'Our Patience Has Limits'

Farhad Afsharnia, head of the Khuzestan Judiciary, deemed the gatherings and protests of the workers of the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran as "unlawful" and added: "Our patience has limits, and if their gatherings continue, we will have to take action against others as well." In an interview with ISNA news agency, he stated that if the workers wanted to convey their issues to the authorities, they have already done so, and further protests are "not in their best interest." He added, "The company can only pay the salaries of its employees and workers when it engages in production." This comes as, according to ILNA news agency, Ahmad Shajirati, Deputy of Labor Relations at the Khuzestan Cooperative, Labor, and Social Welfare Organization, said on Saturday that "the workers' expectation from the employer to pay their dues is legitimate, and they have no work to do due to a lack of financial resources and raw materials for production." Currently, four thousand workers of the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran are demanding their wages for the months of December and January, clarification on how their March salaries will be paid, as well as their year-end bonuses. According to ISNA, the head of the Khuzestan Judiciary emphasized that "we will not allow social and labor issues in the country to be used as a pretext by foreign hostile networks." He stated, "So far, we have been considerate of the protesters so that no specific action is taken against the demonstrators, but if these gatherings continue, we will have to take action against others as well." In the early weeks of Farhad Afsharnia's presidency, the Khuzestan Judiciary issued a directive declaring the gathering of petrochemical workers demanding their overdue wages as "illegal" and prohibited, warning that any "disruption" in company order would be dealt with. The statements of this judicial official came just days after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's remarks. In a speech on February 5, published on his website on February 26, the Supreme Leader accused "enemies" of trying to create a recession or compel workers to do so without addressing the workers' issues and demands. Typically, Ayatollah Khamenei and officials of the Islamic Republic use the term "enemy" to refer to the United States and Israel. Workers and families of detained workers gathered in front of the Khuzestan Governorate. The Free Workers Union of Iran reported that the workers of the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran continued their protests on Sunday, March 4, on the twelfth day of their demonstrations in front of the Khuzestan Governorate. Families of detained workers also participated in this gathering. According to this union, the demonstrators demanded the release of their detained colleagues and the addressing of their labor demands. Reports indicate that nine workers from the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran were arrested by law enforcement on the night of March 1, following a court order from Ahvaz. Meanwhile, Ali Hossein Hosseinzadeh, Deputy for Political and Social Affairs of Khuzestan, stated on Saturday, March 2, that the Security Council and the Khuzestan Governorate had no resolution regarding the arrests. On the other hand, Mohammad Ali Jadari Foroughi, a defense attorney who went to Ahvaz to follow up on the detained workers' case, said on Sunday, March 4, that he went with several families of the detained workers to Branch 12 of the Revolutionary Court in Ahvaz, where they were informed that due to a seminar, the judges were not present; thus, they would have to return on Tuesday, March 6, to follow up on the case and complete the formalities. He emphasized that the detained workers were protesting for their rights and that their arrest has no legal basis, stating, "Apparently one of the detainees was released on Saturday, but eight others remain in custody." Laya Janidi, the legal deputy of the Iranian President, in response to a question about the detention of workers during a conference of the Khuzestan Bar Association held in Ahvaz, said: "Not in detail, but I am generally aware of these confrontations." According to ISNA, this government official referred to Article 27 of the Constitution, which explicitly recognizes the right of citizens to protest and hold gatherings. She stated, "Whenever a problem arises, we report to the President regarding the Constitution." She added, "As a general view, we must support peaceful protests as long as they are civil and non-violent." Additionally, Ali Hosseinzadeh, the Deputy for Political and Social Affairs of Khuzestan, stated on Saturday that they are interacting with various sectors to take action for the release of the detained workers. He urged the workers of the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran to pursue their demands within the framework of the law to avoid being exploited by enemies. This comes as the website "Jameh Now" reported last week that the workers of this large industrial complex lack a union. According to labor law, the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare is required to establish a Workers' Islamic Council in units with more than 35 permanent employees. Earlier reports had indicated that factories such as Iran Khodro and Helo Adhesive Company, among others, lacked a Workers' Islamic Council or any other labor organization. Meanwhile, the Deputy for Political and Social Affairs of Khuzestan urged officials to transfer ownership of production factories and agricultural industries to the private sector "with caution and wisdom." The ownership of this industrial complex was transferred from the National Bank of Iran to Abdolreza Mousavi in November of this year. He is also the owner of Zagros Airlines, Esteghlal Ahvaz Club, Daryush Hotel, and Dolphin Club in Kish. Previously, the privatization of factories and agricultural complexes had drawn criticism, particularly from workers in various regions of Iran. They have called for the return of ownership of these units to the government, but the government of Hassan Rouhani has repeatedly emphasized the continuation of privatization policies. In this context, some economists describe the transfer of factory ownership from the government to the private sector as "quasi-privatization." Quasi-privatization refers to the management of these units by organizations affiliated with the government or state institutions. Meanwhile, according to ISNA, Ali Sari, a representative from Ahvaz and Karun, called the transfer of the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran from the National Bank to "an unqualified individual" an "act against national security." Additionally, Javad Kazem Nasab Al-Bajji, a representative from Ahvaz in Parliament, demanded that instead of arresting workers, those responsible for creating problems for the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran should be apprehended and held accountable for these issues. He stated that the representatives of Ahvaz will pursue the issue of the release of the detained workers through the Minister of Justice to resolve the existing problems. Meanwhile, the arrest of workers has drawn criticism from several independent labor organizations. The Free Workers Union of Iran, the Workers' Rights Defenders Association, the Association of Electrical and Metal Workers of Kermanshah, the Committee for the Follow-up of Labor Organizations in Iran, and the International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran condemned these arrests and called for the release of the detained workers. Utilizing reports from ISNA and ILNA news agencies, the Free Workers Union of Iran, and news sources.