Response of Rouhani's Assistant to Criticism from Labor Organizations

Following criticism from several labor organizations and human rights groups worldwide regarding the security and judicial actions against workers in Iran, Elham Aminzadeh, Assistant to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for Citizen Rights, stated that the security of pursuing labor demands within the framework of the law must be maintained. According to ILNA news agency, in response to questions about why judicial actions were taken against labor gatherings such as the protests of workers from the Bahaf, Chadormalu, and Agh Dareh mines, and what the government's plan is for ensuring the citizen rights of workers pursuing their demands in accordance with the Constitution and international conventions, she said: "The Ministry of Labor and the Judiciary must be held accountable." Aminzadeh's remarks come at a time when there has been no news regarding the actions of the Ministry of Labor and the Judiciary to restore the rights and dignity of workers who have been dismissed, arrested, and imprisoned in recent years. Meanwhile, it remains unclear what actions have been taken regarding the situation of 17 workers who were flogged in Agh Dareh in West Azerbaijan, a ruling that was enforced at the insistence of the governor of Takab County.