Parvin Mohammadi, VP of the Free Union of Iran Workers, arrested

Parvin Mohammadi, Vice President of the Free Union of Iran Workers, was arrested on Tuesday, January 29, 2019.

Parvian Mohammadi was arrested a few hours after the arrest and detention of Jafar Azimzadeh, Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Free Union of Iran Workers. Parvin Mohammadi was arrested by SSF agents in Fardis, Karaj, and all her personal belongings including her lap top and cellphone were confiscated.

Announcing the news, the Free Union of Iran Workers condemned the arrests of two members of its board of directors and demanded their immediate and unconditional release.

Ms. Parvin Mohammadi, former representative of workers of Iran Metal Industries and member of the Board of Directors of the Free Union of Iranian Workers, had published an open letter on December 20, 2018, blasting the clerical regime for ordering nightly raids on the houses of steel workers of Ahvaz and arresting them. In parts of this letter, Parvin Mohammadi addressed the oppressive rulers of Iran and wrote:

“Gentlemen, you arrested and incarcerated (some workers). From now on, however, what will you do with the rage and fury of thousands of steel workers and their families and millions of workers and toiling wage earners across the country whose lives have turned into hell at your hands?

“Gentlemen, if the arrests and imprisonments of dozens of steel workers have put them in a position to stop their street protests for several days, you should rest assured that this is not the end of it.

“Because these are only moments and days when the rage and fury of steel workers and all workers throughout Iran are accumulated to soon erupt like a giant volcano.”

Jafar Azimzadeh who was arrested only hours before Ms. Mohammadi, had been sentenced by courts in Tehran and Saveh to 17 years in prison for acting against national security and spreading propaganda against the state. He went on hunger strike for 63 days while he was in prison.