Forty-five days after the start of a hunger strike by about 4,000 workers of Arak Aluminum Company (IRALCO), they continue their protest against what they call “gross violations of human rights.” Since September 9, some workers have escalated to a dry hunger strike, refusing even water.
Workers who have joined the dry hunger strike and refused water began experiencing health complications on the morning of Wednesday, September 10, with several transferred to hospitals.
Information circulating on social media shows that in addition to their hunger strike, Arak Aluminum workers have staged sit-ins and gatherings inside factory grounds, chanting slogans demanding the resignation of company officials and attention to their other demands.
Protest Gathering of Retirees, Workers, Students, and Border Residents in the Streets
Published images show the protesting workers holding placards with slogans such as “Workers will die but will not accept humiliation,” underscoring their determination to persist until their demands are met.
Videos received show that on September 9, these workers also stopped work and gathered in the company yard, citing “management’s disregard for their demands.”
The workers launched their hunger strike in protest against “gross violations of human rights” and the “destruction of the company,” but company management and local officials have not responded to their legitimate legal demands.
The workers declared: “The shares of this vast industrial complex, built with the effort and sweat of workers and the nation’s capital, must be taken from the hands of special groups who are destroying the company and placed under collective and transparent public ownership.”
The continuation of the hunger strike by Arak Aluminum workers poses a serious threat to their lives and health, and in the absence of any response from officials, concerns are growing about the risk of a human catastrophe.
According to the 2024 annual report by HRANA (Human Rights Activists News Agency), at least 2,255 protest gatherings, 1,377 labor strikes, and 70 professional strikes were recorded in Iran.
These figures show that labor protests are nationwide in scope; however, the situation of Arak Aluminum workers has become urgent due to their dry hunger strike and reports of hospitalizations, and without swift action, the risk of an escalating crisis is grave.
