Iranian Labor Activist Announces Election Boycott by Workers

Esmail Bakhshi, a prominent Iranian labor activist and former political prisoner, has announced that Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company workers will boycott the presidential elections on Friday. 

In a statement posted on his Instagram account on Sunday, Bakhshi emphasized that the workers do not support any individual candidate or any political movement.

Bakhshi criticized the presidential candidates for attempting to exploit the reputation of Haft Tappeh and its workers to gain votes. 

The labor activist addressed the Iranian people directly, asserting that the Haft Tappeh workers stand with the "oppressed and deserving people of Iran" and that their voices remain aligned with the general public.

This announcement follows an earlier statement by a group of independent Haft Tappeh workers, who declared their intention not to participate in the elections.

Bakhshi has been vocal in his criticism of the electoral process. 

In separate posts, Bakhshi urged workers to reconsider participating in the elections, arguing that none of the candidates would grant them the right to form independent organizations.

The Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company, located in Khuzestan Province, has been a focal point of labor activism in recent years, with workers staging numerous protests over unpaid wages and privatization issues.