Irán, República Islámica del - Teachers’ leader Ali Akbar Baghbani arrested in crackdown on protests

On 28 May 2015 the Iranian Teachers Association (ITA) protested that its executive member Ali Akbar Baghbani had been arrested for criticising the government’s reaction to teacher protests and demands. In a statement the association wrote that “oppressive government institutions” were trying to stifle teachers’ protests by arresting activists and enforcing severe restrictions. The ITA stipulated that the protests were rooted in “a serious dissatisfaction with the “discriminatory treatment of teachers compared to other government employees”. The teachers were demanding pay increases that would put their wages in line with those of other government employees. The response of the government was to discourage the protests and conduct numerous arrests.