Teachers Protest in Front of Parliament (Iran)

roozonline.com ^ | Aug. 30, 2007

[nuconvert]

Teachers Protest in Front of Parliament

Parisa Hatami

2007.08.30

For the second day yesterday, a group of unhappy teachers held a protest in front of the Majlis building, as representatives from the Iranian Teachers Union [“Kanun-e Senfiy-e Mo’aleman”] wrote a letter to the head of judiciary Ayatollah Shahroudi. In their letter, teachers requested to meet with the cleric and asked for his help in putting an end to violent confrontations and imprisonment of activist teachers. Meanwhile, the reformist Participation Front [“Hezb-e Mosharekat”] released a statement condemning the recent treatment of teachers and calling on courts to reverse the convictions of several detained teachers.

Dozens of teachers have been arrested over the past year for participating in gatherings and sentenced to imprisonment, exile, and pay cuts. According to news reports, the suppression of teachers has intensified in the past few days ahead of the new academic year.

According to data released by teachers union groups, cases have been filed in courts for more than 40 teachers and about 280 teachers at the Ministry of Education. These teachers face punishments ranging from exile to a location outside Tehran to the revocation of their teaching licenses and disqualifications from participating in union elections or running for union leadership positions. Several teachers face 3 to 6 month teaching suspensions, with some in danger of having their teaching license revoked indefinitely.

But despite these heavy sentences and intimidation, teachers gathered for the second day in a row in front of the Majils building on Baharestan Square yesterday and demanded to meet with the Speaker Hadad Adel.

In their gathering, teachers voiced their support for equal pay for government employees, a controversial bill under consideration in the Majlis. The teachers also demanded that lawmakers put an end to what they believe is government discrimination against teachers.

In its letter, the Iranian Teachers Union condemned judicial sentences passed against activist teachers, including a three-year imprisonment sentence handed down to Alireza Hashemi, Secretary General of the Iran Teachers Association [“Sazman-e Mo’aleman-e Iran”]. The union also asked to meet directly with head of judiciary Ayatollah Shahroudi to ensure his support for reversing the course in confronting and intimidating union activists.

[Grizzled Bear]

Could we please send some of our college professors to be imprisoned with the Iranian teachers? Sort of a “Solidarity” thingy?

[sionnsar]

ping