According to reports published by the two oil workers organizations, the Council for Organizing the Protests of Contract and Third-Party Workers and the Council for Organizing the Protests of Contract Oil Workers, security forces have once again arrested Yasser Ahmadi-Nejad, who was on leave, and transferred him to Yasuj Prison.
Yasser Ahmadi-Nejad, a worker and independent representative of the oil workers at the National Iranian Drilling Company (NIDC), had been released on bail on July 11 of this year. His arrest comes while Yasser had appealed the sentence issued against him and was awaiting a response.
In addition to Yasser Ahmadi-Nejad’s situation, security pressure on oil workers remains severe. According to the same reports, following complaints filed with the judicial authorities by the oil company chiefs, a number of labor activists were arrested on charges of participating in organizing the largest workers’ protest in Asaluyeh last December. Although the proceedings in their cases, scheduled for the day the war began, were postponed to a later date, direct pressure by security agencies on these workers and their families continues.
Yasser had repeatedly confronted corrupt management and exploitative oil contractors while pursuing his colleagues’ demands, and he exposed theft and corruption involving project supervisors and contractors. He participated in the legal campaign to secure the rights of 30,000 third-party workers at the National Iranian Drilling Company and pursued workers’ demands for their rights.
Yasser stood alongside the people during the Woman, Life, Freedom protests and again in 2025–2026. According to reports, in December 2025–January 2026, security forces arrested and held Yasser’s father hostage in an attempt to arrest his son. After being pursued by security forces for some time, Yasser was eventually arrested on February 5, 2026, in the city of Likak and transferred to Yasuj Prison, where he was sentenced to 42 months in prison.
The two organizations, the Council for Organizing the Protests of Contract Workers and the Council for Organizing the Protests of Third-Party Workers in the oil sector, had previously issued a statement calling for his immediate and unconditional release.
Free Them Now the Campaign to free jailed workers in Iran, (FTN), alongside these two labor organizations in the oil sector, calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Yasser Ahmadi-Nejad and all other detained workers in various sectors of the oil industry.
FTN expects international trade unions, workers’ organizations, and all humanitarian institutions around the world to condemn the Islamic regime for its criminal repression and widespread executions, and to pressure the government to stop the brutal arrests and executions and release all political prisoners and imprisoned protesters.
Free Them Now (FTN)
August 12, 2026