On 29th December 2018, the families of the arrested steelworkers of the National Steel Group of Ahvaz held an assembly in front of the provincial governor’s office in the city of Ahvaz for the fourth day and demanded the release of the workers.
“Steel mafia must be exposed”, “The workers’ place is not in prison” and “Free jailed workers” were the dominant banners and slogans in the protest.
In the 40-day strike of the steelworkers that mobilised society and the international workers’ community, 43 workers’ representatives were arrested. Today, 14 days later and after several protests and a wave of national and international condemnation, 36 workers have been released.
The remaining 7 workers still in custody are: Gharib Hoveizavi, Tareq Khalfi, Meisam Ghanavati, Karim Siahi, Mostafa Abiat, Behzad Alikhani and Meisam Al Mehdi.
Workers of National Steel Group of Ahvaz demand immediate and unconditional release of their colleagues and insist of their other demands such as payment of their unpaid wages, restart of production lines, job security, and right to organisation and strike.
The campaign to free jailed workers in Iran (Free Them Now), awaits the widest support from these workers and their demands.
Campaign to Free jailed workers in Iran (Free Them Now)
30 December 2018