In protest against the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by the “morality police” in Tehran for failing to properly wear the hijab, we have witnessed continuous demonstrations for the last two weeks all over the country, as usual with a barbaric response from the Islamic Republic of Iran.

So far it has been reported that 76 people have died and hundreds have been arrested. The nature and the scale of these protests has caught everyone by surprise, in particular those who live off these surprises! Namely mainstream media, celebrities, middle class activists... and many more, in so far as to call it “the first feminist revolution of our time”.

We will deal with the political aspects of the protests in Iran in our next article, but for now, we publish translations of three statements, from the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Workers’ Syndicate, the Council for Organising Protests by Oil Contract Workers and the Coordinating Council of Trade Union Organisations of Iranian Teachers.

Condemnation of the Murder of “Zhina” Amini

Mahsa "Zhina" Amini, a 22-year-old girl from Saqqez, was arrested by the “morality police” at the Haghani metro station in Tehran on 13 September. After two hours, her half-dead body was delivered to Kasra Hospital.
Unfortunately, “Zhina” Amini died on the evening of Friday 16 September in the hospital due to a brain injury.
This is not the first time that the women of our society have been beaten and arrested, this is not the first time that the sweet lives of women and girls of this land are subject to anti-feminist and patriarchal policies, and unfortunately, as long as capitalism and patriarchy prevails, we will witness such tragedies again.
But the oppressed people in Kurdistan and other cities of Iran, students and women fighters, have shown with their protests that they will stand against this systematic killing.
Oppressed men and women know that with unity and solidarity and continuous struggle, they can end this oppression and discrimination so that the masters of violence and oppression can no longer kill our children.
Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Workers’ Syndicate expresses its condolences to “Zhina” Amini's family and shares their grievance in the loss of their beloved child.
Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Workers’ Syndicate condemns the murder of “Zhina” Amini and demands the identification and punishment of the perpetrators of this crime and demands the annulling of all anti-women laws.

Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Workers’ Syndicate

Statement in Support of Popular Protests and Against Government Repressions in Iran

We, the workers of the oil projects, together with all the people in Iran, once again express our anger and hatred towards the murder of a young girl, Mahsa Amini, at the hands of the “morality police”. We support the people's struggle against organised violence against women, against poverty and insecurity, the hell that has been created. Mahsa and others like her are our daughters and members of our family. How much longer will violence against women and the domination of the streets under the pretext of the hijab continue? For how long do we have to starve and be insecure? Enough is enough! Protesting is the inalienable right of us workers and all people. We are protesting against the oppression and persecution that has been inflicted on us for more than forty years. We are no longer willing to continue tolerating this slavery and injustice.
We, the oil workers, warn that if the arrests, the killing of people and the harassment and persecution of women because of the hijab are not stopped, and the repression of people is not ended, we will not remain silent. Together with all people, we will protest and cease to work.
Listen to what we and the people are saying.
We warn you.

Council for Organising Protests by Oil Contract Workers, 26 September 2022

Against the Widespread Suppression of People's Protests, the Garrisoning of Schools and the Arrests of Students and Street Protesters

In the name of God!
Freedom loving teachers and people of Iran:
In recent days, we have witnessed scenes that were bitter on one hand and sweet on the other. The bitterness of #MahsaAmini's family grieving for the death of their innocent child on the one hand and on the other the huge national and hopeful wave of people all over the country in solidarity and companionship. With this grieving family, it shows that Iran is still alive and dynamic and does not bow to oppression.
The contradiction, of shooting directly at innocent people in the streets in order to prove that the deaths of people of this land like Mahsa have been accidental, did not occur to the repressive apparatus of the government, which has spent so much effort in the media and government propaganda to show that Mahsa died in a normal and a natural way. At the same time, the fossilised criminal authorities have turned some of the country's schools into military bases to suppress protesting people, and many of the arrested youths are high school students and incoming students of next year university, who have not yet started. They must now spend time in and experience solitary confinement and prison. On the other hand, every day in the streets of the country, we see painful images of the repression of protesters, which are widely published on virtual networks, and millions of Iranians and non-Iranians around the world have seen these violent scenes. These images are so heartbreaking that it hurts the heart of every honourable person.
The Coordinating Council of Trade Union Organisations of Iranian Teachers, while strongly condemning government repression against the defenceless people in protesting the prevailing situation, especially the garrisoning of some schools, arresting and imprisoning students and people in recent peaceful gatherings, calls upon all working and retired educators and the students to stand by their side in protesting against the wrong and violent behaviour of the government. It requests that teachers and students avoid coming into schools all over the country on 26 and 28 September.
The death of #MahsaAmini proved that different social strata strongly object to the mandatory hijab approach, which does not even have valid religious reasons. It is expected that the students in Iran, and especially the brave girls of our land, will insist on this legal and inherent right and continue demanding it in an appropriate way.
The wave of national support in protesting the murder of #MahsaAmini proves that no one will ever dare to ignore and treat them inhumanely again.
The Coordinating Council of Trade Union Organisations of Iranian Teachers sincerely and respectfully requests all law enforcement forces to put down their guns and not shoot at the people who are in pain and dying and to stand by the people before it is too late.
The Coordinating Council also demands from all working and retired teachers, veterans and retirees of the country and army and social security, labour unions, athletes and artists and all people of influence and trusted by society that in these difficult, however inspiring days, they stand by the students and people who are demanding their rights to be met, so that our children and citizens bear less harm. The Coordinating Council hopes that in the coming days, the government authorities will stop suppressing the citizens with a rational and legal approach, considering the fruitlessness of repression and its effect on the spread of protests and discontents through many tested experiences, and will obey the people's demands, otherwise, the Coordinating Council will announce its next plans in protest against the current situation and in solidarity with students and dear people of Iran.

Coordinating Council of Trade Union Organisations of Iranian Teachers, 25 September 2022