Continued Crackdown on Labor Activists in Iran: Two Social Security Retirees Sentenced to Two Years in Prison
In a continuation of the troubling pattern of security and judicial pressure on labor activists in Iran, two retirees from the Social Security Organization, Morad Zohrabi and Mohammadzaman Kamarava, have been sentenced to two years of imprisonment by Branch 2 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court. This verdict was issued on June7, 2025, and according to informed sources, was carried out under direct pressure from security agencies, particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ intelligence division.
Labor Demands, Security Responses
Over the past two years, retirees across the country have repeatedly held peaceful gatherings demanding the implementation of laws related to their livelihoods and health. These demands include wage equalization, implementation of Article 96 of the Social Security Law, access to efficient health insurance, and adjusting pensions in line with inflation. The protest in Ahvaz in February 2022 also took place within this legal and professional framework.
However, these protests were met with violent responses from security forces. IRGC intelligence agents raided streets, alleys, and the private homes of protesters, violently arresting several individuals, including Morad Zohrabi and Mohammadzaman Kamarava. Their personal belongings, such as mobile phones, computers, books, and handwritten notes, were confiscated. The detainees were held in solitary confinement and subjected to intense interrogation for a month.
Security Charges Against Legal Demands
Following the interrogations, the judiciary filed a case against the two retirees, summoning them to the Revolutionary Court on charges such as “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the Islamic Republic.” This is despite all available evidence indicating that their demands were purely professional and economic, with no political or security dimension.
The retirees were represented by Farzaneh Zilabi, an attorney known for her committed defense of workers’, retirees’, and civil activists’ rights. Ms. Zilabi herself has faced repeated pressure and threats over the past years due to her legal advocacy.
