Teachers' Union: 38 Teacher Activists Were Dismissed or Forced into Retirement Last Year

On Tuesday, April 7, the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Unions announced in a statement that in the past solar year, 12 teacher activists were dismissed, and 26 others received forced retirement orders. This national teachers' organization considers these actions to be part of the 'policy of intensifying the repression of the teachers' movement' by the security forces of the Islamic Republic. The Coordination Council noted that over the past three decades of teachers' union activities, there have been security and judicial confrontations with teacher activists in Iran. The statement referred to 'summons, arrests, issuance of heavy prison sentences, exile, and other pressures.' Currently, several teacher activists are serving prison sentences issued by Islamic Revolutionary Courts on security charges, including Rasul Badaghi, Jafar Ebrahimi, and Hashem Khashtaar. The Coordination Council pointed out that the intensification of the repression of teacher activists began after the peak of teachers' protests in 1400 (2021), which 'led to street normalization through gatherings.' The statement mentions that the teachers who were dismissed or forced into retirement last year 'paid the price in defense of the rights of teachers and students to serve as a lesson for others; however, they are unaware that the teachers' movement is not dependent on individuals, and we are still in the streets until we achieve the teachers' demands.' The Coordination Council also wrote that during the 'two dark years of Sahraei's ministry, the highest rates of repression of teachers were observed,' along with 'committees addressing teachers' violations,' adding that 'the security offices of regions and general directorates have been the arm of repression against union activists in the past two years.' The council condemned the 'unjust sentences against union activists and the continuation of these pressures and illegal actions,' stating: 'Medieval sentences can never block the legal demands of union activists.' The security and judicial confrontations with teacher and worker activists by the Islamic Republic have drawn significant criticism. In this context, the International Federation of Teachers called for the unconditional release of imprisoned teachers and their activists in Iran about two weeks ago. Additionally, the International Federation of Teachers, along with the International Confederation of Trade Unions, criticized the 'illegal and oppressive detention' of 14 prominent members of the teachers' movement across Iran, stating that the detainees are representatives of the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Unions, which is also a member of the International Federation of Teachers. The International Federation of Teachers and the International Confederation of Trade Unions simultaneously urged the International Labour Organization to act for the release of these '14 prominent members of the teachers' movement and other labor detainees who have been illegally imprisoned.' They also filed an official complaint with the Committee on Freedom of Association in this organization, requesting the Secretary-General of the International Labour Organization to compel the Islamic Republic to unconditionally release these imprisoned activists. These two international trade organizations emphasized that imprisoned teacher and worker activists have been pursued, tortured, and subjected to heavy judicial sentences for demanding their basic rights, including the right to organize, freedom of expression, and holding protest gatherings. The International Federation of Teachers and the International Confederation of Trade Unions also called on the Islamic Republic to take immediate necessary actions to release prisoners and meet the demands of union and labor activists in accordance with its international commitments and continued membership in the International Labour Organization.