Tehran Bus Workers' Union Accuses Labor Ministry Agents of Assaulting Protesters

While the Deputy Minister of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare claims that the arrest of Robabeh Rezaei, the wife of Reza Shahabi, and over 50 others occurred outside the ministry's jurisdiction, the Tehran Bus Workers' Union accused those referred to as "agents of the Ministry of Labor" of violently assaulting workers and students in collaboration with riot police. According to reports from this union and other labor organizations, Ms. Rezaei, who had gone to the Ministry to inquire about her husband's situation, was arrested along with more than 50 others by security forces and riot police. The detainees were released from Evin Prison after a few hours. An anonymous source told Radio Farda that this group was warned not to participate in any gatherings. This is in contrast to Article 27 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which states that "the formation of gatherings and marches, without carrying weapons, is free as long as it does not disrupt the principles of Islam." According to ILNA news agency, Ahmad Meshirian, the Deputy of Labor Relations at the Ministry, stated that "no one was arrested inside the Ministry of Labor." He also mentioned that he was not aware of the arrest of Robabeh Rezaei, adding, "I had indirectly heard that Reza Shahabi's wife was supposed to come to the Ministry today; however, I was not aware of the gathering. No one informed me that Mrs. Shahabi was supposed to meet with me." The Deputy Minister emphasized that the condition for meeting and negotiating with Reza Shahabi's wife was her coming "personally and in a calm and non-tension-filled environment" and stated, "There should not be any sensationalism in social media that leads to tension and a security atmosphere." Previously, Robabeh Rezaei had announced in a statement shared on social media, which received support from several users, that she would go to the Ministry on Tuesday, January 5, to follow up on her husband's situation. Reza Shahabi, a imprisoned member of the board of the Tehran Bus Workers' Union, has suffered two minor strokes in recent days, and according to his family and the union, a specialist doctor at Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran has stated that his body cannot withstand prison conditions. Nevertheless, according to Robabeh Rezaei and the Tehran Bus Workers' Union, the officials at Rajai Shahr Prison and the judiciary have not taken any action in this regard. "Violent confrontation by security agents and Ministry of Labor officials with protesters" The Tehran Bus Workers' Union issued a statement on Tuesday evening after the release of all detainees, stating: "Before Mrs. Shahabi's arrival at the Ministry of Labor, security agents and Ministry of Labor officials, accompanied by riot police, violently assaulted workers and students, resulting in Hassan Saidi, a member of this union, being taken to Shariati Hospital due to injuries inflicted by Ministry of Labor agents." This labor organization expressed regret in its Telegram channel regarding the arrest of 51 protesters, stating that "the Ministry of Labor officials not only did not receive visitors but also came to assist the riot police with batons and punches, brutally assaulting drivers and students." The Tehran Bus Workers' Union, while requesting medical attention for Reza Shahabi's health condition, stated that "any negligence and disregard regarding his health condition" is the responsibility of the prison officials and the judiciary. Request from 11 labor unions from four European countries for the release of Reza Shahabi Eleven labor unions from France, Spain, Italy, and Sweden issued a joint statement demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Reza Shahabi. According to the Socialist Solidarity Group with Workers in Iran in France, these labor unions stated that "they have been closely monitoring Reza Shahabi's situation for a long time" and added: "Reza Shahabi's activities for the rights of workers in Iran are entirely within the framework of internationally recognized treaties and the International Labor Organization." These 11 labor unions from France, Spain, Italy, and Sweden noted that "Reza Shahabi has been arrested multiple times for his activities and has spent nearly six years in prison," stating that his sentence has been extended "arbitrarily". The statement highlighted that Reza Shahabi suffers from numerous health issues, which the signatories claim are "due to torture in prison and lack of treatment during his long imprisonment" and stated: "He resorted to a hunger strike in protest and only ended it after the prison director promised to review all of his recent sentences. However, to date, none of his protests have been addressed." The European labor unions further noted in their statement that Reza Shahabi's strokes in prison have put "his life at risk" and demanded his immediate and unconditional release so that he can receive appropriate medical treatment and care. These unions concluded their statement by pointing out that the Islamic Republic of Iran, as a member of the International Labor Organization, is obligated to adhere to its commitments regarding the fundamental treaties of that organization, including the freedom of association and collective bargaining.