Arrest of labor activists Mohammad Ghasem Khani and Bahram Saeedi

The wave of arrests of labor activists continued as Mohammad Ghasem Khani and Bahram Saeedi were detained on Thursday, May 2nd, one day after engaging in a sit-in protest in front of the Parliament of the Islamic Council.

According to CHRR, Mohammad Ghasem Khani, a labor activist form Iran Khodro Factory, was accosted by plain clothes officers equipped with wireless devices as he was entering the factory at the start of his workday. He attempted to resist but was forcibly taken to the security area of the factory and transferred to a police vehicle. The same day officials raided the home of Mohammad Ghasem Khani in Tehran, and after conducting a search the agents confiscated various personal items.

Bahram Saeedi, another labor activist and factory worker had also taken part in the sit-in protest in font of the Parliament building on May 1st commemorating International Workers’ Day. The following day on May 2nd, Saeedi was summoned to the factory’s office when he arrived to begin his workday and was subsequently detained by plainclothes officials. Agents also conducted a search of Bahram Saeedi’s home in Karaj after his arrest.

According to obtained reports, there is no information on the situation or whereabouts of the detained labor activists.

After the ruling establishment refused to grant permits for commemorating International Workers’ Day (May 1st), a number of labor and union activists and workers demonstrated in various areas in protest of the current working conditions. One of the groups staged the sit-in in front of the Parliament building on Wednesday, May 1st, but they were immediately dispersed by security forces and the Parliament building guards.

Human rights groups have reported the arrest of 4 labor activists in the past few days in Sanandaj; Aran Zandi, Fardin Ghaderi, Shahpour Hosseini and Jalil Mohammadi.

Source: CHRR

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