Beginning
on Friday, 27 January, security forces in Iran began arresting hundreds
of striking bus workers in Teheran, including the leadership of the
union. Workers are also being intimidated into signing pledges to give
up strike and protest actions or risk being fired. The management of
the company and the company's Islamic Council worked hand in hand with
the security forces to help identify the workers and assist in the
arrests. Union officials said the brutality of the security forces was
indescribable. The wives and children of some union executive members
were also arrested, but later released. They were taken out of bed and
beaten up during raids on Friday night. The beatings continued in
detention. On Saturday, as the workers arrived at the picket lines,
they were rounded up. Many were verbally abused, threatened and beaten
up to force them to drive the buses. Those who refused were taken away.
The majority of the detainees are now in the high security Evin Prison,
which is notorious for the torture and execution of thousands of
political prisoners. (full article)
Our friend “K” provides further information regarding some recent developments in the bus drivers' strike:
This
morning of February 4 at 10 P.M., about one hundred persons gathered in
front of the so-called Islamic Court on Moallem Avenue in
Tehran after being told by the authorities that it was not possible for
them to see the judge. The group carried a placard on which it was
written: "Release The Bus Drivers!"
There were relatives of the detainees, university students, and members of the committees trying to form workers' organizations among the persons in the gathering.
The detainees' family members mentioned different reasons for the relatively small number of the participants in the gathering; namely, the fact that they have been intimidated, their having lost touch due to their husbands being imprisoned, their having to go to work and so on.
They were expecting the organizations, societies and people from other layers of society worldwide to help their relatives to be released. The gathering continued until about midday.
[thanks to "K" for contributing to this article]There were relatives of the detainees, university students, and members of the committees trying to form workers' organizations among the persons in the gathering.
The detainees' family members mentioned different reasons for the relatively small number of the participants in the gathering; namely, the fact that they have been intimidated, their having lost touch due to their husbands being imprisoned, their having to go to work and so on.
They were expecting the organizations, societies and people from other layers of society worldwide to help their relatives to be released. The gathering continued until about midday.
