The Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations (CCITTA) has condemned the unlawful sacking of Ms. Shiva Amelirad, a prominent teacher and trade union activist.  The CCITTA subsequently moved to appoint Ms. Amelirad as its senior representative for liaison with Education International (EI) and other global teacher trade union and professional bodies.

The CCITTA is the nationwide sole independent body that has represented the interests of teachers in Iran for many years now and has continuously campaigned effectively for their members’ rights.  It has been severely repressed by the authorities in recent years and many of its senior representatives have been imprisoned and treated harshly by the regime.  Several senior representatives of the CCITTA have spent years in prison on trumped up charges of “endangering national security”.  Indeed, Mr. Esmail Abdi, the Secretary General of the Iranian Teachers’ Trade Association (ITTA) spent more than 7 years in prison for defending his members rights and conditions of service.

The CCITTA has “expressed its deep concerns and condemnation regarding the unjust and untimely expulsion of Shiva Amelirad, a dedicated educator and an esteemed member of the Teachers’ Trade Association of Marivan.  With over 18 years of invaluable teaching experience, Ms. Amelirad has played a pivotal role in shaping the educational landscape of Kordestan province and Iran.”

According to a statement released by the CCITTA, the main reason for sacking of Ms. Amelirad was for her acting as representative of the Iranian teachers’ trade union to accept the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights, in South Korea, on behalf of the CCITTA for its relentless campaign for quality free education as well as fair pay and conditions of service for teachers in Iran.

“The decision to expel Shiva Amelirad appears to be a direct response to the recognition given to the CCITTA and a blatant attempt to stifle the voices of educators and trade union activists in Iran,” read the statement.