Nicosia, February 12, 2026

 

To: info@hamahangi.org
CC: headoffice@ei-ie.org

 

Subject: Message of Solidarity from POED with CCITTA and Iranian Educators Facing Repression

 

Dear Colleagues of the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teacher Trade Associations (CCITTA),

 

On behalf of the Pancyprian Organization of Greek Teachers (POED), a member of Education International (EI), we write to express our deepest solidarity with you, your members, Iranian teachers, students, and all educators standing up for quality public education, trade union rights, democracy, freedom of association, dignity, and gender justice.

 

We are profoundly alarmed by the escalating repression in Iran, particularly following the mass killings of civilians on 8 and 9 January 2026. The reports of torture, forced confessions, trials without legal counsel, prolonged solitary confinement, denial of medical care, threats to families, and the broadcast of at least 270 forced confessions on state television are utterly unacceptable and constitute grave violations of fundamental human rights and international labour standards, including those of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Covenants on Civil, Political, Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.

 

We are especially heartbroken by the deliberate targeting of children and students, resulting in the deaths of at least 152 children, as well as the confirmed deaths of at least nine teachers, including two female teachers. The detention of hundreds of children and at least thirteen teacher union activists, including CCITTA board member and General Secretary of the Teachers’ Trade Association of Harsin, Abdullah Rezaei, underscores the brutal assault on education communities and the future of Iran.

 

Women educators and protesters face specific and intensified attacks on their rights and freedoms, highlighting the intersection of gender justice with the broader struggle for democratic education and society. The internet shutdowns and communication blackouts further isolate those in need, preventing essential support and documentation.

POED stands firmly with CCITTA and the Iranian people in their courageous fight against these injustices. Educators worldwide recognize that the suppression of teachers' voices is an attack on education as a public good, on children's right to learn in safety, and on the principles of democracy and equality that we all defend.

 

 

You are not alone. The international education union community will continue to amplify your voices, monitor developments, and advocate for the immediate release of all detained teachers and unionists, an end to torture and repression, accountability for violations, and the protection of education rights in Iran.

In solidarity and with unwavering support,

 

                    The President                                              The General Secretary

 

                       Myria Vasileiou                                        Charis Charalambous