Repression against workers, students and women activists increases

Students arrested on university demonstrations

On Friday, 7 December, more than 30 students were jailed in Iran during mass protests on national students’ day. This day commemorates the events of 7 December, 1953 when students demonstrated against the visit of the American vice-president Richard Nixon to Iran after the CIA-supported military coup of August 1953.

During the coup hundreds of political activists were murdered and jailed by the Shah’s regime. The heroic student demonstration was suppressed by the Shah’s army. Three students – Shariat Razavi, Ghandchi and Bozorgnia – were shot dead. The day has never been forgotten by the students of Iran. The 7 December, (16 Azar) has been known as ‘Students’ Day’ ever since.

This year the student movement planned demonstrations across the whole country for December 7. Two of the left groups in the student movement urged their membership to take part in the demonstration. The state security forces, who have experience of previous radical student movements, reacted swiftly. 30 radical students were arrested immediately.

Despite this, and the fact that the police occupied all the universities, 700 students from Teheran University and 500 from Alameh University demonstrated. Their banners included the demands: ‘No to war!’, ‘Solidarity between students, women and the labour movement!’, ‘No foreign intervention!’, ‘No dictatorship!’, ‘Bread, peace, freedom!’. Students reported that demonstrations occurred over the whole country.

Repression

The Iranian regime survives both political and economic crises by mass arrests, execution of opponents and the suppression of every form of protest.

The three best known workers’ leaders – Mansour Osanloo, Ebrahim Madadi and Mahmoud Salehi – are now in prison. Also in prison are Reza Ghasaban, Majid Tavakoli and Ehsan Mansouri who are student organisers. Just recently Reza Dehghan and Abas Zamani of the Painters’ and Decorators’ Union and three workers active during the strike at the sugar factory Haft Tapeh action have been arrested.

Activists in the ethnic and national rights movements of Kurdistan, Sistan, Balouchistan, Khozestan and Azarbajan have also been imprisoned. Maryam Hossinkhah and Jelveh Javaheri of the Women’s Movement have been arrested as have 30 students who have been sent to Evin Prison.

We say:

• Stop the crimes of the Iranian Regime!
• Down with the Islamic republic of Iran !
• Long live socialism and Iranian Students’ Day!

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