Two Iranian teachers’ union activists have begun hunger strikes to protest their stiff sentences imposed after unfair trials, Iran's Teachers’ Union reported on January 14.
Gholamreza Gholami and Iraj Rahnama, two members of the Fars Teachers' Union board, were arrested on October 5, 2023, at the Shiraz Governorate after requesting a location for a teachers' protest.
In an audio message released from prison, Gholami called the charges against him "fabricated" and denounced his 11-year prison term and sentence of two years in exile.
The inmate announced he had started a hunger strike on January 13 and urged fellow teachers nationwide to protest his arrest and sentencing.
He vowed to continue his protest action "until his last breath" to highlight the "sacred demands" of the teachers’ community.
Rahnama, vice president of the Shiraz Teachers' Union, announced his hunger strike in a separate message, saying he was protesting his “harsh sentence” imposed by “those who mocked the constitution.”
The union activist, who had previously been arrested twice, said he had been unjustly detained for 99 days.
He also urged the government to not use violence against the Iranian population, saying, "Even violent figures like Hitler and Genghis Khan couldn't sustain their power through brutality."
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