Statement by the French Teachers’ Union in Support of Iranian Demonstrators

Since mid-November, thousands of Iranians have risen in a hundred cities against the policy of expensive living, corruption and despotism of the mullahs’ regime, which has imposed its theocratic power since 1979. Youth and students play a decisive role in these events. 

Although the Iranian authorities have blocked the Internet, and the French media often relays the regime’s propaganda, testimonies and images attest to the police and riot police using live ammunition against Iranian Demonstrators. Despite this, protests continue across the country. 

Tehran has been the scene of widespread attacks by repressive forces against young protesters, including students at Tehran University. 

These events take place in a context of social struggles of many categories of the population (teachers, workers, retired people, etc.) and bullying targeting young people and women. Triggered by price increases, they now call question the fundamentals of the mullahs’ regime: barbaric repression (hanging, mutilations, corporal punishment), grid of daily life and police control of behavior, prohibition of cohabitation, punishment for offenses against dress codes, political control of the content of the teachings, especially at the university … The protests also target the absolute power of the Supreme Leader who chooses candidates for elections and confiscates wealth to finance wars (ballistic missiles, external interventions), … They are part of the perspective of a free and democratic Iran. 

SNESUP-FSU strongly protests against the bloody repression of power. The number of victims would settle on the evening of November 24 to more than 300 deaths and 4000 wounded. The number of people arrested and detained by the regime since the beginning of the uprising to date in 165 cities has exceeded 10,000. The SNESUP-FSU demands the end of terror, the end of executions, the human rightrs establishment in Iran, rights of expression and association, academic and trade union freedoms. It calls for the release of all political detainees. 

SNESUP-FSU calls to show active solidarity with the Iranian population faced with barbaric repression, especially with students and academics, and to participate in initiatives organized in France for this purpose.