Iranian cleric voices support for protesters as teachers call for strike

Teachers' union to protest for two days over deaths of schoolchildren amid clampdown by security forces

Anti-government demonstrations sparked by the death of a young woman in police custody have rocked Iran since last month. AP

An Iranian cleric on Friday voiced support for the public's right to protest against the government, as teachers were expected to call a two-day strike from next week.

Anti-government demonstrations sparked by the death of a young woman in police custody have rocked the country since last month.

Mahsa Amini, who was aged 22, died three days after she was detained by the morality police in Tehran, on charges of breaching the country's strict dress code.

"The people have the right to criticise the leader of Muslim society, whether the criticism is justified or not," Ayatollah Javad Alavi-Boroujerdi was quoted by Shafaqna news agency as saying.

"The people have something to say and they don't agree with what you are doing," he told authorities.

The cleric, 68, is the grandson of late grand ayatollah Hossein Boroujerdi, the leading Shiite cleric in the 20th century.

He said that the media should have its freedom and "different thoughts should be expressed on state television".

Following Amini's death, violence spread to the streets, resulting in dozens of deaths and the arrest of hundreds.

During the unrest since last month, "some people have been arrested and are in jail... treat them with mercy," the Ayatollah said.

His sentiments were similar to remarks made by Grand Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani, a prominent conservative cleric and strong supporter of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who called on the authorities to "listen to the demands of the people".

It came as of the country's teachers' unions called a two-day strike from Sunday over the deaths of schoolchildren amid a clampdown by security forces.

Young women, university students and schoolgirls have led the charge, removing their headscarves, chanting anti-government slogans and confronting the security forces on the streets.

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  Demonstrators chant slogans during the March of Solidarity for Iran in Washington. AFP

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  Another group of demonstrators at the march. AFP

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  A protest in support of Iranian women in Barcelona. Reuters

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  Iranian citizens and locals joined in the Barcelona protest. Reuters

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  People attend a demonstration in solidarity with Mahsa Amini and other Iranian women in Castello Square, Turin. EPA

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  A person places a candle during the demonstration in Turin. EPA

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  A protester holds a pre-Islamic Revolution Iranian flag during a demonstration in Brussels in support of the Iranians fighting for their freedom. AFP

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  A protester wearing a top with a logo that reads 'No to an Islamic state" as she takes part in a rally in support of the Iranian people, in Brussels. AFP

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  People wave the Shah-era Iranian flag during a protest in Paris. AFP

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  A woman shows her true colours in the protest against the Iranian government, in Paris. AFP

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  A woman holds a flag, as people protest against the Iranian regime outside Iran's embassy in central London. Reuters

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  Supporters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) carry placards and wave party flags in Beirut, during a protest against the death of Ms Amini. EPA

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  People demonstrate against the Iranian government outside the Houses of Parliament in London following the death of Amini. Reuters

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  A mural in Paris depicts women cutting their hair to show support for Iranian protesters. AP

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  People take part in a rally against the Iranian government in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday. AP

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  Protesters take to the streets of Tehran. EPA

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  Iranian protesters run after clashing with with police. EPA

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  A protester shaves their head outside the Houses of Parliament in London. Reuters

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  Iranians living in Athens hold a protest in solidarity. AFP

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  People take part in a rally in The Hague. AFP

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  A woman cuts her hair during a demonstration in Santiago, Chile, by feminist groups and Iranian migrants in support of Iranian women following the death of Amini. AFP

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  Members of feminist groups and Iranian migrants during the protests in Santiago. AFP

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  Iranian activists shout slogans during a protest against the government in Tehran, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. EPA

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  A protester holds a painted portrait of Mahsa Amini in Berlin, Germany. EPA

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  A protester shows red paint on her face, resembling blood splatters and bloody handprints next to the national Iranian emblem, during a rally in Berlin. EPA

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  Iranian protesters shout slogan during a protest in Istanbul, Turkey. EPA

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  A woman holds a sign during a protest against the Iranian government, in front of the country's embassy in Madrid, Spain. The protests were triggered by the death of a young Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, in police custody. Reuters

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  A woman cuts her hair during the protest in front of the Iranian embassy in Madrid. Reuters

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  Israelis show their support for women in Iran as they hold up placards of Amini during a protest in Jerusalem. EPA

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  Amini, 22, was arrested in Tehran on September 13, 2022, by the morality police. She fell into a coma while in police custody and was declared dead on September 16. EPA

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  People walk by graffiti in support of the protests triggered by Amini's death, in Jerusalem. EPA

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  A protest in Nantes, western France, after the death of Amini in Iranian police custody. AFP

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  Women gather for a demonstration in Barcelona, Spain. AFP

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  Demonstrators in Nantes. Amini's death has sparked a global protest movement. AFP

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  Women protest outside the town hall in in Montpellier, southern France. AFP

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  A woman at a protest in Catalunya Square, Barcelona. Reuters

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  Campaigners and football fans protest at a Champions League match between Porto and Bayer Leverkusen at the Dragao stadium in Portugal. EPA

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  People hold placards during a demonstration in solidarity with the Iranian people near the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. EPA

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  An Iranian woman living in Turkey with 'Freedom' written on her forehead takes part in a protest near the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. Reuters

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  In Barcelona, protesters take part in a demonstration in support of Iranian women. AFP

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  A Lebanese activist takes part in a protest in Beirut, triggered by the death of Amini, 22. AP

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  A Turkish protester takes off her head scarf while giving a performance in Instanbul during a protest against Iran over Amini's death. Getty

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  A woman in Istanbul cuts her hair during a protest against Iran. Getty

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  A Lebanese activist holds a poster depicting Amini during a protest in Beirut organised by feminist groups in support of women protesters in Iran. EPA

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  Demonstrators in Los Angeles, California, hold the Iranian flag during a protest against the government in Tehran. AFP

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  Demonstrators hold placards in Mexico City during a protest against Iran. Reuters

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  People demonstrate in Montreal, Canada, during a protest triggered by Amini's death. AFP

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  Iranian Americans participate in a rally in central Los Angeles, in solidarity with women in Iran. AP

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  Demonstrators march during a protest in Los Angeles, California. AFP

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  A woman with the colours of the Iranian flag painted on her face participates in a rally as thousands demonstrate in support of Iranian women in Los Angeles. EPA

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  Australians protest over Amini's death in Melbourne. EPA

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  Police block protesters from entering Iran's embassy in Oslo, Norway. EPA

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  Demonstrators in front of the European headquarters of the UN in Geneva, Switzerland, during a rally against Iran. EPA

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  A candlelight vigil for Amini in Los Angeles. AFP

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  Afghan women hold placards as they take part in a protest in front of the Iranian embassy in Kabul. AFP

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  Protestors take part in a rally outside the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. AFP

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  An Iranian woman shows a lock of hair she cut off during a protest outside the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. EPA

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  Demonstrators outside the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. Getty

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  Iranian Americans rally on Capitol Hill in Washington to show support for protesters in Iran. AFP

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  Protesters on Capitol Hill hold a sign condemning the crackdown by Tehran. AFP

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  German demonstrators gather in Berlin after the death of Amini in Iranian police custody. AP

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  A protester cries during a rally in Berlin. Reuters

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  A demonstration in Madrid, Spain. Thousands have gathered in cities across Europe to support protests in Iran. AP

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  Demonstrators gather outside the Iranian embassy in Madrid. Reuters

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  People take part in a protest in Lausanne, Switzerland. EPA

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  Protesters hold signs featuring images of Amini during the protest in the western Swiss city. EPA

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  Demonstrators in front of the Iranian embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. EPA

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  An activist outside the Iranian embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with a sign that reads 'Justice for Mahsa Amini'. AFP

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  A demonstration against violence in Iran is held in Quito, Ecuador. The Iranian community in Ecuador protested outside the Iranian embassy. EPA

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  Protesters at a demonstration outside the Iranian embassy in Quito, Ecuador. EPA

The Co-ordinating Council of Teachers' Syndicates on Thursday called a strike in response to the government clampdown, which Amnesty International has said caused the deaths of at least 23 children.

"The Co-ordinating Council declares sit-in strikes for Sunday and Monday. We teachers will be present at schools but will refrain from being present in classes," it said on its Telegram channel.

"We know very well that the military and security forces and plainclothes [officers] have violated schools and educational centres," it said.

"During this systematic oppression, they have mercilessly taken the lives of a number of pupils and children; from Nika [Shahkarami] and Sarina [Esmailzadeh], to Abolfazl [Adinezadeh] and Asra Panahi."

The four, all in their teens, were killed by Iran's security forces during their operation against the nationwide protests that have flared since September 16, when Amini died in custody, according to human rights groups.

Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights said on Thursday that at least 27 children have been killed by the security forces and that children and teachers are among the thousands arrested in the crackdown.

In its statement, the teachers' union said "a large number of teachers have been arrested" without being charged.

"The rulers must know that Iran's teachers do not tolerate these atrocities and tyranny and proclaims that we are for the people, and these bullets and pellets you shoot at the people target our lives and souls," it said.

"This is why the Co-ordinating Council of Teachers Syndicates supports the rightful protests of the people across Iran, and condemns the killings and oppression of past weeks."

It vowed to "continue our protest until the people's right to protest is recognised, all pupils are unconditionally freed and return to schools, the system stops killing the people and children, and stops answering the people's rightful demands with bullets".