Because of the "merciless killing" of numerous children by the regime's security forces, the Coordinating Council of Teachers' Unions in Iran and Eastern Kurdistan has called for a two-day strike starting on Sunday. The teachers would be present at the schools but would not attend classes, the Coordinating Council wrote on Telegram. With their call, the federations reacted to the violent actions of the security forces, including against minors, during the protests in Iran that have been ongoing since mid-September following the death of Jina Mahsa Amini.

The 22-year-old Kurdish woman from Seqiz (Saqqez) died in Tehran on 16 September after being arrested by the "morality police" on charges of violating the regime's dress code. She was beaten to death in custody. Her death sparked the biggest protests in years in the country. The revolt is led by young women under the Kurdish slogan "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" (Woman, Life, Freedom).

“STUDENTS’ AND CHILDREN’S LIVES TAKEN MERCILESSLY”

Iran's teachers' unions accuse the military, security forces and police of "violently targeting schools and education centres". "During this systematic repression, they have mercilessly taken the lives of a number of students and children," the coordinating council said. On Thursday, it was reported that a 15-year-old schoolgirl had been killed by beatings by security forces in the northwestern town of Ardabil. According to the Coordination Council, Asra Panahi died on 13 October after "plainclothes officers" attacked Shahed High School.

ANOTHER STUDENT IN COMA

The students in Ardabil were first taken to an "ideological event", said the Coordinating Council of Teachers' Unions. Some of them chanted "slogans against discrimination and inequality". The youths were "subjected to violence and insults by women in civilian clothes and veiled women". After returning to school, they were beaten by security forces. Asra Panahi died in hospital afterwards. Another student is reportedly in a coma.

“PROTEST UNTIL THE SYSTEM STOPS KILLING THE PEOPLE AND CHILDREN”

It is against this backdrop that the two-day strike is being called, starting on Sunday. The Iranian leadership should know that Iran's education forces "will not tolerate these atrocities and tyranny", the coordinating council wrote, backing the nationwide revolt against the ruling clergy. The council stressed that the protests would continue until "the system stops killing the people and the children". The regime, meanwhile, denied the allegations of Panahi's death. It said the 15-year-old girl had not died as a result of beatings by security forces, but had committed suicide.

AT LEAST 32 MINORS KILLED

According to human rights groups, at least 240 people have been killed by security forces so far during protests in Iran and Eastern Kurdistan. Among the dead are at least 32 minors, reported the US-based organisation Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). More than 12,000 people were also detained. Other opposition sources put the death toll at around 400 and the number of arrests at around 20,000. Reliable information about those arrested is not available, and in many cases, it is not known where they were taken.