A/HRC/28/70 55. The Special Rapporteur notes positively that many labour groups have been permitted to advocate for their rights, citing as examples the ongoing actions by hundreds of workers at the Stephan Cement Company in Dizicheh, Isfahan Province and by Yaz Khorramshahr Industry workers. However, respect for protections of rights exercised by labour activists remains capricious. The country’s Labour Act of 1990 contains numerous progressive provisions on workers’ rights themselves, but effectively excludes the right of workers to organize independently of government supervision and control. The Act mandates that the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs oversee the establishment, scope of duties and functions of labour groups and their representatives. These requirements and restrictions render activists who work peacefully without government approval vulnerable to arrest and prosecution on “national security” charges. 56. In December 2014, at least three members of the Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations were arrested during a demonstration, and at least 27 remain detained in relation to their exercise of rights protected under international law. 2. The plan to protect hijab and modesty and gender segregation in the workplace 57. On 8 October 2014, 36 members of Parliament submitted a plan to protect hijab and modesty.52 The bill appears to impose further restrictions on women’s right to work. Article 5 of the bill limits women’s working hours to the period between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. and calls for gender segregation in the workplace. Some professions, such as doctors, nurses and flight attendants, are not subject to the work-hour restrictions under the bill, and workplaces where the presence of women is necessary will be granted exceptions from segregation policies. The bill also contains an attempt to regulate workplace dress codes, mandating that employees in public and private sectors who do not meet Islamic standards for proper clothing could be penalized by cuts of up to one third of their salary for 1 to 12 months. 58. On 30 August 2014, authorities stated that women were banned from working in coffee shops and that women requesting business permits for coffee shops should designate men as supervisors.53 A number of musical performances were cancelled in various cities across the country between August and December 2014 because women were participating. On 2 September 2014, the Shargh newspaper reported that women could not participate in musical performances in Isfahan and in 13 different provinces across the country. The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance stated that “when women who are observing Islamic hijab are present and working in a healthy environment with men, there is no reason to ban their appearance on stage. We do not have any religious limitation against women’s performance.”54 B. Right to health 1. Satellite jamming and its health impacts 59. Iranian authorities reportedly continue to prosecute individuals for the possession and use of satellite dishes. Over the past few months, Iranian officials have increasingly acknowledged the potential health concerns of satellite jamming, which the Government uses to block public access to certain television channels. In February 2014, the Minister of Health, Dr. Seyyed Hassan Ghazizadeh, announced the formation of a special committee, 52 53 54 Official website of Parliament, http://rc.majlis.ir/fa/legal_draft/show/907753. Tasnim News Agency, 30 August 2014, www.tasnimnews.com/Home/Single/478110. Islamic News Agency, 17 September 2014, www.irna.ir/fa/News/81313979/. 15