MEK Iran: Protests Continue as Economic and Social Unrest Deepens across Iran.

Protest activity has increased in recent weeks as public anger and resentment over the regime’s mismanagement of the Covid-19 pandemic and economic response continues to grow. A number of strikes and protests have already taken place this week.

Haft Tappeh Factory Workers

On Wednesday, Haft Tappeh Sugarcane workers in Shush, Khuzestan Province entered the 80th day of their strike. The striking workers protested in front of the governor’s office and in front of Majlis (regime Parliament) member Kaab Omair’s office in Shush. The strike has gained momentum over the past month, causing other workers to join the protests in solidarity.

The Haft Tappeh workers have vowed not to end their strike until the following demands are met, as previously reported by the MEK:

• Immediate payment of delayed workers’ wages;
• Renewal of workers’ insurance benefits;
• Reinstatement of fired colleagues;
• The arrest and life imprisonment of corrupt Haft Tappeh Sugarcane CEO Omid Assadbeigi;
• The dismissal of corrupt managers and employers at Haft Tappeh;
• The return of workers’ embezzled money; and
• The end of retired managers’ careers.

Fossil Fuel Industry Workers

On Wednesday, Iranian oil, petrochemical, and power plant workers at 38 sites in 19 cities spread across 10 provinces entered their 33rd consecutive day of strikes.

Irrigation Workers

On Sunday, August 30, a group of irrigation workers in Khanmirza, Chaharmahal, and Bakhtiari Province

gathered in front of the municipal government’s office to protest the governor’s inaction. Sunday’s protest was the second gathering in less than a week for the irrigators, who protested last Thursday for ten months of delayed wages and two months of unpaid insurance premiums.

Last week’s protest ended after the governor agreed to rectify the situation. Workers report that officials have taken no action since then to make good on that promise.

Kindergarten Teachers

On Monday, August 31, kindergarten teachers in Dezful, Khuzestan Province protested in front of the governor’s office. The teachers demanded official status as employees of the Ministry of Education.

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran’s (NCRI): Working people have been holding protests across the country to demand their salaries. Workers of Haft-Tappeh Sugarcane Company held a protest in Shush, Khuzestan, & Literacy Movement educators held a protest outside the mullahs’ parliament in Tehran.

https://www.facebook.com/MEK.Iran1/posts/828941814598927

Threats against Families of Murdered Protesters

According to The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI / MEK Iran) sources, regime intelligence and security agents recently contacted the families of two young protesters who were killed by security forces during the November 2019 Uprisings. Navid Behboodi and Mehdi Daemi were two of the 1,500 protesters killed by regime security forces during the nationwide anti-government protests last year. The agents told the young men’s families that they “would deal with the families if they conducted interviews with media outlets or took part in any activities against the state.”

It is believed that the two families were targeted because of their attendance at a symbolic birthday ceremony for Pejman Gholipour, an 18-year-old boy who was killed by security forces during the November 2019 Uprisings. Gholipour’s family held the event in the village of Malat in northern Iran. Behboodi and Daemi’s families went to the event to express their condolences to Gholipour’s family on what would have been his 19th birthday. Gholipour’s family has previously been targeted by threats from the regime.