A/HRC/40/24 fundamental rights and freedoms – of expression, peaceful assembly and association, as well as with regard to arbitrary detention. 49. The Secretary-General notes long-standing concerns related to the right to work and labour rights, especially as they relate to the minimum wage, non-payment of wages, job security, and restrictions on trade unions. In March 2018, the Supreme Labour Council increased the minimum wage to 11.14 million rials per month. 109 Workers’ groups and the Deputy for Labour at the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare have stated that the minimum wage needs to be between two and four times higher to cover the average expenses of a family.110 Peaceful protests and strikes 50. The protests that took place in December 2017 and January 2018 have been reported as the most significant demonstrations since 2009. Popular discontent is fuelled by unaddressed grievances associated with falling living standards, economic and environmental mismanagement and perceived corruption. These demonstrations, labour strikes and other peaceful protests have occurred sporadically but consistently, mostly over salaries and economic and environmental conditions. 51. The Government’s response to these protests is of increasing concern. According to analysts,111 the 2018/19 budget allocation for the Law Enforcement Force, responsible for internal security, increased by 84 per cent compared to the previous year. This constitutes the highest growth rate in an allocation to a defence or security institution. The Head of the Judiciary described the ongoing protests as “sedition” aimed at “dragging people to the streets to target the very foundation of the Islamic Republic”.112 52. Non-payment of wages remains a serious concern; many cases highlight the extent of this issue. Workers at the Haft Tapeh sugar mill have regularly complained of cuts to wages or unpaid wages since the privatization of the mill in 2016. 113 Workers had previously protested against the non-payment of over six months of wages since July 2017, which were eventually paid in March 2018. 114 In August 2018, workers were again left unpaid, which led to strikes recommencing in November.115 After two weeks of protests, according to public reports, the authorities arrested approximately 18 protesting workers and labour activists at the mill.116 Twelve persons have since been released, while protests calling for the release of the remaining detainees continued. 117 The Governor of Khuzestan was quoted in the local media as stating: “Workers have rights, we are looking into their issues and demands.”118 53. Truck drivers have intermittently conducted strikes across many provinces since May 2018 protesting against low wages. While industry officials stated that the demands for higher wages were reasonable,119 other reports indicate that the authorities threatened drivers with revocation of their driving licences if they did not cease protesting. The 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 See https://financialtribune.com/articles/economy-domestic-economy/83942/minimum-wages-in-iranto-rise-by-198 and www.tabnak.ir/fa/news/784016/. See www.sharghdaily.ir/fa/Main/Detail/151699/, www.radiozamaneh.com/391473 and www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1396/09/12/1590634/. See www.iiss.org/blogs/military-balance/2018/11/decode-iran-defence-spending. See www.mizanonline.com/fa/news/472402. See www.iranhumanrights.org/2017/07/iranian-sugar-plant-workers-detained-without-bail-afterprotesting-unpaid-wages-and-benefits/ and www.iranhumanrights.org/2018/02/30-sugar-plantworkers-arrested-in-iran-for-striking-over-months-of-unpaid-salaries/. See www.ituc-csi.org/iran-authorities-step-up-anti. See www.tuc.org.uk/tuc-writes-iranian-ambassador-regarding-arrests-haft-tapeh-sugar-workers. See https://apnews.com/5724c2ea6b7d4b85bd3f2ce015cc88dd, www.tuc.org.uk/tuc-writes-iranianambassador-regarding-arrests-haft-tapeh-sugar-workers and www.ilna.ir/fa/tiny/news-693272. See www.ilna.ir/fa/tiny/news-693844. See https://apnews.com/5724c2ea6b7d4b85bd3f2ce015cc88dd. See www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1397/03/02/1733559/. 13