In late August 2024, amid intensifying protests by nurses and medical staff throughout Iran, Iranian regime safety forces arrested Zahra Tamadon, head nurse at Masih Daneshvari Hospital in Tehran. Zahra Tamadon’s arrest is a part of a broader crackdown on medical staff who’ve been actively collaborating in protests calling for improved working situations and wages.
Zahra Tamadon, head nurse at Masih Daneshvari Hospital in Tehran, was arrested by intelligence brokers on Tuesday, August 20, 2024. The identification of the arresting officers and the place she is being held are unknown, however her arrest is believed to have been triggered by her participation in protests and inspiring hospital workers to go on strike.
Tamadon’s colleagues at Masi Daneshvari Hospital have mentioned they’ll strike if she is just not launched instantly. Four different medical staff have additionally been detained, however their identities haven’t but been revealed, based on studies.
Zahra Tamadon at work
Ongoing protests and calls for of well being staff
Protests and strikes by nurses and medical staff have unfold to at the very least 20 cities throughout Iran, together with Mashhad (northeast Iran), Tabriz (northwest Iran), Ahvaz (southwest Iran), Rasht (northern Iran), Kermanshah (west Iran), Isfahan (central Iran), Dehdasht (southwest Iran), Jarom (southern Iran), Abadan (southwest Iran) and Marivan (west Iran). These protests are pushed by deteriorating working situations, insufferable workloads and systematic violations of their rights.
Nurses face compelled extra time, grueling 12-hour shifts and meager wages, a lot of which don’t even cowl primary dwelling bills. The regime has additionally not enforced agreed service charges and contracts, additional fueling discontent. As a end result, the exodus of nurses from Iran has accelerated in latest months, with an estimated 150 to 200 nurses leaving the nation every month seeking higher alternatives overseas.
During the protests, nurses chanted slogans akin to “Nurses are able to die, however we is not going to settle for humiliation”, “Our rights will solely be gained within the streets”, “Costs are in {dollars}, wages are in reals”, “Our power lies in unity and is the results of our arduous work”, “Nurses, let’s scream and demand our rights”, “We’ve heard sufficient guarantees, our desk is empty” and “From Shiraz to Mashhad, strike, strike” to make their calls for identified.
The arrest of Zahra Tamadon and different well being staff highlights the rising anxiousness amongst Iran’s well being care group, who’re demanding an finish to oppressive working situations and the train of their rights. The regime’s heavy-handed response to those peaceable protests is clear within the arrests of well being care staff. The scenario stays tense as well being care staff throughout Iran proceed to combat for his or her primary rights to justice, honest remedy, and a dwelling wage.