ILC has issued an urgent appeal to trade unions worldwide, warning that a nationwide communications shutdown could pave the way for a wider, hidden crackdown on ongoing protests in Iran.

In a letter addressed to international labor federations and unions, the group said workers, teachers, nurses and retirees are playing a prominent role in the demonstrations, and argued that the state response amounts to a direct assault on the labor movement as well as broader civil rights.

The confederation stress it authorities have sharply restricted or cut internet access nationwide since the night of 8 January, citing internet monitoring groups such as NetBlocks. It said the blackout is being used to obstruct independent reporting and conceal repression, drawing a parallel with the November 2019 protests, when the government imposed an internet shutdown amid a deadly crackdown.

Citing “human rights organizations,” the letter said at least 51 protesters had been killed by 9 January and that hundreds were injured and thousands arrested, while acknowledging that verified figures are difficult to confirm under restrictions on information.

The confederation called on unions to publicly condemn the killings, arrests and internet shutdown, pressure their governments to pursue diplomatic measures to halt repression, support access to a “free internet,” and pursue action through international bodies including the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Bloody Crackdown on Popular Protests in Iran and the Risk of Mass Killing — Call for Immediate Action by the World’s Trade Unions

To trade unions and workers’ organizations worldwide,
With greetings and respect,

We are writing to you under hazardous and critical circumstances. The people of Iran have once again taken to the streets to win freedom, social justice, and the right to self-determination. Among the protesters, workers, teachers, nurses, and retirees play a prominent role, and the suppression of these protests directly amounts to the suppression of the labor movement itself.

The current protests, which began on 28 December 2025 (7 Dey 1404), are not a passing episode. They are the continuation of a long trajectory of social struggle for which the people of Iran have paid a heavy price over many years—from the protests of December 2017–January 2018 (Dey 1396), to the November 2019 uprising (Aban 1398), to the nationwide movement of 2022 (1401). At every juncture, the Islamic Republic’s response has been repression, killing, mass arrests, and the systematic crushing of freedoms.

This time as well, the protests were sparked by severe economic pressure, widening poverty, soaring inflation, and the collapse of the national currency—and have now grown into a broad movement against the existing political order. The Iranian state is not seeking a response through dialogue or structural reform, but through escalating violence and the physical suppression of the population.

In recent days, the government has carried out a near-total shutdown of the internet and communications across the country—an operation that began on the night of 8 January 2026 (18 Dey 1404) and has intensified since, reducing access to networks and internet services to extremely low levels and effectively isolating Iran from the world. This nationwide blackout is being used as an instrument to conceal violence and to facilitate organized repression against protesters. Internet shutdowns during protest waves in Iran have a precedent: in November 2019, the authorities cut the internet to hide a large-scale massacre. According to official figures, at least 1,500 protesters were killed within three days, though many estimates place the true number far higher.

According to reports by human rights organizations, as of 9 January 2026 (19 Dey 1404), at least 51 protesters have been killed, hundreds injured, and thousands arrested. However, some sources report the death toll to be significantly higher and emphasize that, due to restricted access to field information, accurate casualty figures remain under verification.

We state clearly: any internet shutdown and communications restriction is not only a violation of the right to communicate and the free circulation of information—it is an organized mechanism to conceal mass killing and prevent the world from receiving timely, reliable information.

We also stress that supporting the Iranian people’s demand to change the existing system of rule and create new political relations grounded in the will of the majority is, in essence, a defense of universal human rights. This demand is not merely a political slogan; it is an insistence on the fundamental rights of a population that has lived for years under repression and deprivation and now seeks to determine its own fate freely.

The struggle of the Iranian people—and the demand to transform the political structure—is part of the global struggle of labor for justice, freedom, and human dignity. The repression of labor in Iran constitutes a blatant violation of fundamental labor conventions and international standards. Defending the people of Iran is not only an act of solidarity; it is a defense of labor rights and human rights on a global scale.

We issue an explicit warning:
If there is no immediate, coordinated, and effective international response, the Islamic Republic can once again use the internet blackout and a closed media environment to organize a bloody crackdown and massacre protesters. Under these conditions, silence—or purely symbolic reactions—functions in practice as a green light to the machinery of repression.

We also express our appreciation for the principled stance of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) in condemning the repression of the Iranian people, which we regard as an essential example of international solidarity. Now more than ever, expanding and deepening this solidarity is vital.

Accordingly, we call on you to:

1. Publicly and urgently condemn repression, killings, and the internet shutdown in Iran, and issue official statements of support.
2. Communicate these positions to other unions, federations, and global labor networks to build broad and active solidarity.
3. Urge your governments to exert serious political and diplomatic pressure on the Iranian authorities to stop the crackdown and the killing of protesters.
4. Demand the suspension of diplomatic relations and the closure of Islamic Republic embassies as an effective measure to refuse recognition of the state’s violence.
5. Use all available capacities to support the Iranian people’s access to a free internet and to prevent information blackouts and communication cutoffs.
6. International bodies, including the International Labour Organization (ILO), pursue the suspension of the Islamic Republic’s membership due to its persistent violation of fundamental labor rights.

We believe that defending the people of Iran is a defense of universal human rights and a defense of the global labor movement. Strengthening the struggle of the Iranian people—and especially the independent labor force—paves the way for society’s free self-determination, an end to the cycle of repression, and a transition toward political and social relations founded on freedom, justice, and genuine democracy.

With respect and solidarity,
Iranian Labor Confederation – Abroad
10 January 2026

Documentary Appendix

Internet Shutdown, Repression, and the Risk of Mass Killing

1) Nationwide Internet and Communications Shutdown — Documented Reality

Since 8–9 January 2026 (18–19 Dey 1404), the Iranian regime has severely restricted or cut nationwide internet access, according to internet monitoring groups such as NetBlocks.
The communications blackout has effectively severed connections between Iranian citizens and the outside world and has made independent reporting extremely difficult.
International news agencies and human rights organizations have described the shutdown as a sign of efforts to conceal repression and human rights violations.

2) Repression and Casualties

According to human rights organizations, as of 9 January 2026 (19 Dey 1404), at least 51 protesters have been killed, hundreds injured, and thousands arrested.
Reports indicate the use of live ammunition, direct fire, and a bloody crackdown in multiple cities.

3) Historical Precedent: Internet Shutdown and Mass Killing — November 2019

In November 2019, the government cut internet access almost completely for roughly five days to hide the repression of protesters.
According to official figures, at least 1,500 protesters were killed, while independent reports confirm a far higher number.
This pattern shows that internet shutdowns can create the conditions for large-scale, concealed killings.

4) Why This Matters to the Global Labor Movement

Internet shutdowns and communications restrictions prevent working people from organizing, sharing information, striking, or building practical solidarity.
The repression of workers and protesters is a clear and simultaneous violation of human rights and labor rights. 

Global silence in the face of such repression weakens international labor standards.

5) Proposed Requests and Actions

Demand the immediate restoration of free internet access in Iran as an expression of the fundamental right to communicate and freedom of expression.
Report and document human rights and labor rights violations in international bodies.
Apply broad political and diplomatic pressure to stop repression and prevent further killings.
Provide practical support for independent labor organizations in Iran and build global mechanisms of assistance and protection.