News

(30 April 2010) The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran today urged Iranian authorities to respect the rights of trade union activists and teachers to participate in International Workers Day (1 May) and National Teachers Day (2 May) observations, and expressed deep concern about recent arrests of members of teachers groups in an apparent attempt to intimidate others from demonstrating.

In February 2010, in the course of a review of its human rights record under the United Nations Universal Periodic Review process, Iran agreed to respect the social and economic rights of its citizens and their right to freedom of expression as recommended by Brazil, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Bolivia, Vietnam, and Kuwait.

“We call upon the Islamic Republic to abide by its commitment to respect economic and social rights and the right to freedom of expression, to halt the persecution of peaceful labor and teacher activists, and to permit groups to express their solidarity and demands on the first and second of May,” stated Aaron Rhodes, a spokesperson for the Campaign.

“If the authorities go on harassing labor activists and crush the May observances, as they have in past years, it will demonstrate the total hypocrisy of the pledges Iran made,” he said.