Two Imprisoned Teachers on Hunger Strike 'to the Point of Death': We Protest the Unjust Verdicts of the Court

Two imprisoned teachers from Fars Province, Iraj Rahnama and Gholamreza Gholami Khandazi, announced in separate audio messages that they have begun a hunger strike 'to the point of death' starting Saturday, January 13. The Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Unions expressed growing concern from the teaching community regarding the physical condition of these two labor activists, stating that while they are on hunger strike protesting unjust verdicts, they were transferred from Adelabad Prison in Shiraz to 'the Revolutionary Court Prison' on Tuesday, January 16. Previously, Gholamreza Gholami Khandazi, who has been in the security wing of Adelabad Prison for over three months, announced in an audio message sent from the prison that he is going on hunger strike starting January 13, 2024, to protest the arbitrary rulings of the intelligence agency's mock courts and the silence of officials and the parliament. This imprisoned teacher on hunger strike stated in his message that he will continue until 'to the point of death.' He further emphasized that 'the demands of the teaching community are of such sanctity that sacrificing one's life for their realization would be a valuable step.' Gholamreza Gholami Khandazi, sentenced to 11 years in prison and 2 years of exile, explained that the harshest punishments were issued in both the primary and appellate courts and detailed that he was arrested on completely baseless charges of conspiracy, propaganda against the regime, disturbing public opinion, and membership in opposition groups. He added that 'although in the court session, Judge Salapur proposed an electronic ankle bracelet, such a request before the issuance of the verdict would mean accepting a crime for which there was no evidence in the case.' This cultural labor activist stated that he rejected the electronic ankle bracelet because 'it would confirm the oppressive behavior of the government against the oppressed teaching profession.' Iraj Rahnama, another cultural-labor prisoner, in a separate audio message announcing his hunger strike and requesting support from teachers, said: 'I have decided to go on hunger strike to protest the unjust ruling of those who have mocked the Constitution and will continue to the point of death.' This imprisoned teacher on hunger strike asserted that 'if my health deteriorates, the government is directly responsible.' He continued in his message that 'I have been detained for over 99 days' and emphasized that he was arrested and imprisoned on baseless charges of gathering and acting against national security. Iraj Rahnama, a protesting educator with years of teaching experience in schools, addressed the government in his message: 'A teacher whose mission is to spread kindness does not belong in prison; we did not teach you violence to treat us this way.' In recent years, the Islamic Republic's security and judicial actions against teacher, labor, and retiree activists have intensified. This escalation of actions has occurred in response to the growing protests of teachers, workers, and retirees. These actions have, in turn, drawn severe criticism from trade unions worldwide.