Zeinab Hamrang, an activist teacher, was arrested in Tehran. According to Tehran’s Teachers’ Union telegram channel, security forces arrested Zeinab Hamrang on January 12 in her house in Tehran.
Zeinab Hamrang is a high school teacher in Tehran’s 18th district. Zeinab is in jail now. Mr. Seify, Zeinab’s husband, said that around 6 PM on Sunday, five people came to arrest Zeinab. Mr. Seify’s first name has not been disclosed on Iranian media.
“Four male and a female agent from one of the security organizations entered our house without any prior notice. They said that they are from security police. They showed us the search warrant, and they searched the house. They also confiscated some of the family’s personal items. Then they arrested my wife, Ms.Hamrang, and transferred her to an unknown place,” Mr. Seify said.
He added, “Court has set a 600 Million Toman (48000 dollars) bail for her. We cannot afford to pay this bail.”
Reportedly, Mr. Seify, who is a retired teacher, has traveled to his hometown, Ardebil, to arrange the bail money.
The reason for Zeinab’s arrest and her charges have not been announced yet, but she is not the only Iranian teacher in jail.
Jafar Ebrahimi, another teacher and a member of the Iranian Teachers Association, was arrested on December 26, 2019, while attending a ceremony for the victims of the November protests.
Several other teachers and union activists are in prison in Iran. Most of them were arrested after protesting against government policies.
The teacher’s long-sought demands include wage increase and improvement of living conditions for both employees and pensioners, proper health insurance coverage, an end to privatization and commodification of education, providing free and high-quality education for all children, freedom of association and the right to form and join independent unions.
Ismail Abdi, Mohammad Habibi, Mahmoud Beheshti-Langroudi are among the teachers’ union activists who are currently held in prison.
Teacher’s struggles in Iran have a long history, dating back to before the 1979 Iranian revolution. However, in each period, they have had different demands. In recent decades and mainly because of mismanagement, corruption, and sanctions, their demands have shifted from educational reforms to financial demands.
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