Iranian teachers and educators held protests in at least 32 cities across the country on Thursday, May 10, calling for release of imprisoned teachers as well as demanding better wages, improvement of their livelihood and job security.
In Tehran, the protests were held in two locations, outside the Budget and Planning Organization and in front of the regime’s parliament. In other cities, people gathered outside the Departments of Education.
In addition to Tehran, the protests were held in at least 32 cities where women teachers actively participated. These cities include Arak, Qazvin, Zanjan, Kermanshah, Isfahan, Homayounshahr, Shiraz, Mamasani, Shahreza, Shahr-e Kord, Mashhad, Bojnourd, Birjand, Kazeroun, Saqqez, Baneh, Sanandaj, Dehgolan, Marivan, Mahabad, Qorveh, Zivieh, Divandarreh, Tabriz, Rasht, Sari, Khorramabad, Behbahan, Bandar Abbas, Boushehr, and Hamedan.
The teachers and educators protested against low wages, difficult living conditions, denial of their most basic rights including lack of medical insurance and job security and officials’ failure to address their problems.
The protesting teachers chanted, “Free imprisoned teachers.” They also held placards which read, “Teachers, workers, students, unite!”, “Teachers deserve to receive wages higher than the poverty line”, “Bread, jobs, freedom, justice in education”, “access to free and quality education is the right of every child.”
In Tehran, the State Security forces attacked the teachers’ gathering outside the Budget and Planning Organization and beat up the teachers particularly the women. One women was badly hurt in the eye during this raid.
When security forces attempted to arrest Mohammad Habibi, the activist teacher who had been recently freed from jail on bail, women held hands and surrounded him so as to prevent his re-arrest. Women teachers chanted, “We cannot tolerate so much injustice”, “Police, go catch the thieves.”