Global unions denounce worsening human and labour rights violations in Iran


(Photo: AFP)

The Council of Global Unions (CGU) issued a statement urging the Iranian government to uphold international labour standards, particularly freedom of association, and to uphold human rights, justice, dignity, and fairness. This was in response to the alleged escalation of repressive measures targeting teachers, journalists, trade union activists, student activists, and women's rights advocates, particularly in view of the upcoming 16 September anniversary of Jina Mahsa Amini's extrajudicial killing. 

The CGU also expressed concern over the growing influence of the so-called Gasht-e-Irshad ("morality police") and their use of the habid law to harass women and deny them access to education. The various global unions express their solidarity with the country’s women's rights defenders as they bravely fight for equality.

According to the statement, affiliates of Education International (EI), the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), namely the Coordinating Council of the Iranian Teacher Trade Associations, the Union of Workers of Tehran and Suburban Bus Company (Vahed Union) and the Association of Iranian Journalists (AoIJ), face relentless harassment, arrests, prolonged detentions, and torture in prison.

Read the full statement here.