In a Twitter message, Sharan Burrow, the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) condemned the “authoritarian” government in Iran for the brutal killing of protesters in nationwide anti-government protests in November 2019.

“This is a message of solidarity with the people of Iran. As we commemorate the first anniversary of the attacks on protestors last November where more than 300 people were killed, we again call for the government to cease and desist with their oppression,” Sharan Burrows said in her message.

“All over the country people are facing oppression, in civil society, in the world of work. This is not what governments should be about. They should be committed to the democratic rights and freedoms. The human and the labor rights, that civilized governments accede to. We say to the people of Iran, you have our solidarity. We stand with you in protest against an authoritarian government who would deny your fundamental rights. Solidarity.”

As the world’s largest trade union federation, the ITUC represents 207 million workers through its 331 affiliated organizations within 163 countries and territories.

In another video message in November last year, the ITUC also expressed its solidarity with Iranians and called for an increase in the country’s minimum wage and the strengthening of freedoms.

“These latest killings are an appalling indictment of a kleptocratic system which has to change. Pent-up frustrations over suppression of people’s cares and concerns, and especially over inadequate wages, will not be resolved by state violence, nor by the long-standing repression of legitimate trade union activity,” ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow said last year.

1500 slain protesters

The Paris based NCRI, an umbrella bloc of opposition groups in exile that seek an end to Iran’s clerical rule, said in a December 15, 2019 report that over 1500 men, women and children were killed during the protests.

Later, in a December 23 report, Reuters said Iranian interior ministry officials also stated that 1500 protesters were killed during the three to four days of protests across the country. According to the report, Khamenei gathered his top security and government officials, and issued an order: Do whatever it takes to stop them.

Iranian officials denied Reuters’ death toll and after seven months, implied that about 200 to 225 people were killed.

Amnesty International said in March that 23 children were among those gunned down on the streets in November 2019. Almost a year after the bloody November 2019 protests, many protesters are still detained with heavy prison terms. Two protesters were hanged while at least eight have been sentenced to death.

Source » irannewswire