Protests in several countries around the world
UK
London
Date: Sunday, 12 February 2012
Time: 1-3pm
Place: Trafalgar Square, North Terrace (outside the National Gallery)
Organisers: Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran & Free Them Now! Campaign to Free Jailed Workers in Iran
Contact: Alireza Rashidi : + 44 (0)7712810675
More information: http://www.facebook.com/zendani.siasi?ref=ts
FINLAND
Ekenäs (Tammisaari)
Date: Sunday, 12 February 2012
Time: 1:00pm
Place: Town Square
Organiser/Contact: Walther Metzler (Facebook)
Notes: Walter will bring a poster and will have a candle-lighting ceremony.
SWEDEN
Jönköping
Date: Sunday, 12 February 2012
Time: 9:30am
Place: In front of Migrationsverket
Organiser: Mission Free Iran
Contact: Ali 07 69821211
USA
Washington DC
Date: Sunday, 12 February 2012
Time: 1:00pm
Place: Corner of Wisconsin & M Street in Georgetown, Washington DC
Details: March through Georgetown to raise awareness of ongoing and intensified executions and political imprisonments in Iran.
Those who are willing and able will continue the march to protest in front of the regime offices after the Georgetown action.
Organisers: Mission Free Iran & Women’s Alliance for Change in Iran
Contact: Maria Rohaly, 240-595-2633
BELGIUM
Brussels
Date: 14 February 2012
Time: 4:00pm
Place: In front of Iran’s Embassy - 15 Franklin Roosevelt Street
Organisers: Unity for Iran - Belgium
Contact: euroiranien@gmail.com
Friday, 10 February 2012
Saturday, 4 February 2012
Iran: another trade unionist appears before court
4 February 2012
While 11 trade unionists continue to be jailed in Iran, another leader of the Free Union of Iranian Workers has appeared before court in the city of Sanandaj in the west of Iran.
Mozaffar Saleh Nia, a member of the Union’s executive board, was summoned to Branch Four of the Islamic Republic courts on Wednesday, where he rejected all the charges against him. In January Saleh Nia and another colleague, Sharif Saed Panah, were jailed for 15 days for protesting against the plight of homeless working children. They were freed after days of massive protests outside the detention centre by their families, supporters and the people of the city.
The Free Them Now! campaign condemns this latest attack on trade unionists in Iran, and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all jailed workers.
Free Them Now! Campaign to Free Jailed Workers in Iran
http://free-them-now.blogspot.com/
For further info, contact:
Shahla Daneshfar: Shahla_Daneshfar@yahoo.com
Bahram Soroush: Bahram.Soroush@gmail.com
While 11 trade unionists continue to be jailed in Iran, another leader of the Free Union of Iranian Workers has appeared before court in the city of Sanandaj in the west of Iran.
Mozaffar Saleh Nia, a member of the Union’s executive board, was summoned to Branch Four of the Islamic Republic courts on Wednesday, where he rejected all the charges against him. In January Saleh Nia and another colleague, Sharif Saed Panah, were jailed for 15 days for protesting against the plight of homeless working children. They were freed after days of massive protests outside the detention centre by their families, supporters and the people of the city.
The Free Them Now! campaign condemns this latest attack on trade unionists in Iran, and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all jailed workers.
Free Them Now! Campaign to Free Jailed Workers in Iran
http://free-them-now.blogspot.com/
For further info, contact:
Shahla Daneshfar: Shahla_Daneshfar@yahoo.com
Bahram Soroush: Bahram.Soroush@gmail.com
اطلاعيه شماره ٤٠
مظفر صالح نیا از اعضای هیئت مدیره اتحادیه آزاد کارگران ایران به دادگاه جمهوري اسلامي در سنندج احضار شد
بنا بر خبر منتشر شده در سايت اتحاد، مظفر صالح نیا از اعضا هیئت مدیره اتحادیه آزاد کارگران ایران ساعت ١٠ صبح روز ١٢ بهمن با احضاريه اي كتبي از سوي شعبه ٤ دادياري دادگاه انقلاب جمهوري اسلامي در شهر سنندج حضور پيدا كرد و بعنوان آخرين دفاعيه تمامي اتهاماتي كه بر او وارد شده بود را رد كرده و فعالين صنفي و دفاع از حقوق انساني و اجتماعي كارگران را حق مسلم خود اعلام داشت.
مظفر صالح نيا در روز ١٥ دی ماه به خاطر اعتراض انسانيش به خوابيدن يك كارتن خواب در كنار خيابان و هواي سرد بازداشت و پس از ١٥ روز زندان به همراه شريف ساعد پناه يكي ديگر از اعضاي هيات مديره اتحاديه آزاد در ميان استقبال پرشور خانواده و مردمي كه براي آزادي آنها در مقابل زندان جمع بودند، آزاد شد.
جمهوري اسلامي فعالين كارگري و فعالين سياسي در عرصه هاي مختلف اعتراضي را دستگير ميكند، تا جلوي سازمانيافتن مبارزات كارگران و كل جامعه را بگيرد. خصوصا اكنون در شرايطي كه جامعه از شدت اعتراض حالتي انفجاري دارد، اين دستگيري ها تشديد شده است. رژيم با اين كار ميخواهد مانع اعتراض كردن، جمع شدن و گسترش مبارزات توده هاي مردم بشود. بايد در برابر اين تهديدات و فشارها ايستاد. اجازه نداد كه فعالين كارگري و معترضان سياسي را چنين به دادگاههايشان فرا بخوانند و مورد بازجويي و محاكمه قرار دهند. بايد تمامي پرونده هاي قضايي اي كه براي آنان تشكيل شده است تماما لغو شود و همه كارگران زنداني و زندانيان سياسي بدون قيد و شرط از زندان آزاد شوند.
كمپين براي آزادي كارگران زنداني
١٤ بهمن ٩٠، ٣ فوريه ٢٠١٢
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Iran: Two trade unionists released, but more arrested
Two worker activists by the name Sharif Saed Panah and Mozaffar Saleh Nia, both members of the Free Union of Iranian Workers, who were arrested earlier this month, have been released on bail. The release follows several weeks of campaigning both inside and outside Iran. The released workers were jubilantly greeted by their family and supporters outside the offices of the Ministry of Intelligence in Sanandaj.
However, a number of other trade unionists have been detained, or summoned to the Intelligence Ministry: In Tabriz, Shahrokh Zamani and Mohammad Jarahi were detained while out on bail, while Nima Poor-Yaghoub and Sasan Vahebi-Vash were summoned. Zamani and Jarahi are both members of the Follow-up Committee to Set up Free Labour Organisations. Last August, a court sentenced all four to long prison terms: Zamani to 11 years, Jarahi to five years and six months, Poor-Yaghoub to six years and Vahebi-Vash to six months.
Almost simultaneously in Sanandaj, Sheis Amani, well-known leader of the city’s textile workers and a board member of the Free Union of Iranian Workers, was detained when enquiring about the cases of other jailed workers at the Prosecutor’s Office.
Meanwhile, other trade unionists, such as Reza Shahabi and Ebrahim Madadi, leaders of Tehran’s bus workers’ union, Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, member of the Follow-up Committee to Set up Free Labour Organisations, Ali Nejati, leader of the sugar cane workers’ union and Rasoul Bodaghi, from the Teachers’ Trade Association, continue to serve long prison terms for their union activity.
We call on all trade unions and human rights organisations to condemn the latest arrests and the continued jailing of trade unionists, and to demand the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained.
Free Them Now! Campaign to Free Jailed Workers in Iran
http://free-them-now.blogspot.com/
For further info, contact: Shahla_Daneshfar@yahoo.com Bahram.Soroush@gmail.com
However, a number of other trade unionists have been detained, or summoned to the Intelligence Ministry: In Tabriz, Shahrokh Zamani and Mohammad Jarahi were detained while out on bail, while Nima Poor-Yaghoub and Sasan Vahebi-Vash were summoned. Zamani and Jarahi are both members of the Follow-up Committee to Set up Free Labour Organisations. Last August, a court sentenced all four to long prison terms: Zamani to 11 years, Jarahi to five years and six months, Poor-Yaghoub to six years and Vahebi-Vash to six months.
Almost simultaneously in Sanandaj, Sheis Amani, well-known leader of the city’s textile workers and a board member of the Free Union of Iranian Workers, was detained when enquiring about the cases of other jailed workers at the Prosecutor’s Office.
Meanwhile, other trade unionists, such as Reza Shahabi and Ebrahim Madadi, leaders of Tehran’s bus workers’ union, Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, member of the Follow-up Committee to Set up Free Labour Organisations, Ali Nejati, leader of the sugar cane workers’ union and Rasoul Bodaghi, from the Teachers’ Trade Association, continue to serve long prison terms for their union activity.
We call on all trade unions and human rights organisations to condemn the latest arrests and the continued jailing of trade unionists, and to demand the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained.
Free Them Now! Campaign to Free Jailed Workers in Iran
http://free-them-now.blogspot.com/
For further info, contact: Shahla_Daneshfar@yahoo.com Bahram.Soroush@gmail.com
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
More trade unionists arrested in Iran
Letter
8 January 2012
To all trade unions and human rights organisations
We are writing to inform you that in the past two weeks there have been a further intensification of attacks by the Islamic Republic on worker activists in Iran.
The latest incident is the arrest this morning of Sharif Saed Panah, member of the executive board of the Free Union of Iranian Workers. This follows the arrest on 5th January of Union member Mozaffar Saleh Nia in the city of Sanandaj, and two weeks earlier of Mohammad Hosseini, a worker activist in Damavand City. All three have been detained for their union activity.
In the mean time, Reza Shahabi, who is a member of the executive board of Tehran and District Bus Workers’ Union, has been admitted to hospital following a ten-day hunger strike in protest against his arbitrary arrest and imprisonment. In a letter from hospital, Shahabi has protested against his treatment as a prisoner while in hospital, with restrictions even on visits by his family, and has said he would refuse medical treatment until the restrictions are lifted. Ebrahim Madadi, also an executive board member of the bus workers’ union, continues to be detained, as are Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, member of the Follow-up Committee to Form Free Trade Unions, Rasoul Bodaghi, member of the Teachers’ Trade Association, and many student and civil rights activists.
We call on all trade unions and human rights organisations to express their revulsion against the latest arrests and the continued persecution of trade unionists and political dissidents in Iran, and to demand their immediate and unconditional release.
Free Them Now!
Campaign to Free Jailed Workers in Iran
http://free-them-now.blogspot.com/
For further info, contact:
Shahla_daneshfar@yahoo.com
Bahram.Soroush@gmail.com
8 January 2012
To all trade unions and human rights organisations
We are writing to inform you that in the past two weeks there have been a further intensification of attacks by the Islamic Republic on worker activists in Iran.
The latest incident is the arrest this morning of Sharif Saed Panah, member of the executive board of the Free Union of Iranian Workers. This follows the arrest on 5th January of Union member Mozaffar Saleh Nia in the city of Sanandaj, and two weeks earlier of Mohammad Hosseini, a worker activist in Damavand City. All three have been detained for their union activity.
In the mean time, Reza Shahabi, who is a member of the executive board of Tehran and District Bus Workers’ Union, has been admitted to hospital following a ten-day hunger strike in protest against his arbitrary arrest and imprisonment. In a letter from hospital, Shahabi has protested against his treatment as a prisoner while in hospital, with restrictions even on visits by his family, and has said he would refuse medical treatment until the restrictions are lifted. Ebrahim Madadi, also an executive board member of the bus workers’ union, continues to be detained, as are Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, member of the Follow-up Committee to Form Free Trade Unions, Rasoul Bodaghi, member of the Teachers’ Trade Association, and many student and civil rights activists.
We call on all trade unions and human rights organisations to express their revulsion against the latest arrests and the continued persecution of trade unionists and political dissidents in Iran, and to demand their immediate and unconditional release.
Free Them Now!
Campaign to Free Jailed Workers in Iran
http://free-them-now.blogspot.com/
For further info, contact:
Shahla_daneshfar@yahoo.com
Bahram.Soroush@gmail.com
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
5 Nov 2011 International Day of Solidarity with Iranian Workers
30 cities in 13 countries and counting…
SWEDEN
Stockholm
Time: Saturday 5 November 2011, 1-3 pm
Place: In front of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic
Contact: Göran Gustavsson 0704009033 & Faramarz Ghorbani 0765647616
Gothenberg
Time: Saturday 5 November 2011, 1-3 pm
Place: Brunnsparken
Contact: Abe Asadi 07317178819
Borås
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 2-4pm
Place: Stora torget
Contact: Esmail Mardokhi 0 737 59 85 66
Helsingborg
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 2.30-5pm
Place: Stortorget
Contact: Gabi Hosseini 0760879874
Sävsjö
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 11am-1pm
Arian Mirzolfaghari 0700773423
zolfaghariarian4@gmail.com
Details forthcoming
Malmö
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 1-3 pm
Place: Triangeln
Contact: Hasan Salehi 0703171102
Farideh Arman 0703638088
Karlskrona
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 2-4 pm
Place: Ronnebygatan 43 till 47 i Centrum
Contact: Amir Kamrani; amir_ung@yahoo.com 0046704 53 10 47
nasserkhassaee@yahoo.com 0046762835308
UK
London
Time: Saturday 5 November 2011, 2-4 pm
Place: Trafalgar Sq., North Terrace, in front of the National Gallery
Then at 5pm we will gather outside the offices of the BBC Persian Service, Broadcasting House, 2-22 Portland Place, W1A 1AA
Contact: Behrooz Bahari 07838156819
Alireza Rashidi 07712810675
CANADA
Toronto
Time: Saturday 5 November 2011, 1-3 pm
Place: Yonge St & Dundas Intersection
Contact: Yadi Mahmoudi 416-471-7138
hkki.vca@gmail.com
Vancouver
Time: Saturday 5th November, 3-5 pm
Place: Art Gallery, Robson side
Contact: Masoud Arjang 001-6046495453
Vancouver District Labour Council also supports this call
HOLLAND
Amsterdam
Time: Saturday 5 November 2011, 1-3 pm
Place: Beursplein
Contact: Bahman Khani 0651273261
NORWAY
Oslo
Time: Saturday 5th November, 1-2 pm
Place: In front of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic
Contact: Saber Rahimi 0798694001
Abolghasem Kardar 04133-3268
GERMANY
Frankfurt
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 11am-1pm
Hauptwache Rathenauplatz
Contact: Shahnaz Moratab 015774650186
Berlin
Time: Saturday 5th, 2-4 pm
Place: Joachimstaler platz, am U-Bahnhof Kurfürstendamm
Contact: Farzaneh Derakhshan
Cologne
Time: Saturday 5th, 4 pm
Place: In front of Dom
Contact: Mohamad Nemati 01635522356
Hannover
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011 4-6pm
Place: Kropke
Contact: Naser kashkooli 0177 8348592
Würzburg
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 2.30-5 pm
Abdolbaset Soleimani, baset_marx@yahoo.com
Details forthcoming
Hamburg
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 1.30 pm
Place: Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, Glockengießerwall
Contact: Nazanin Borumand 0172-4044323, Pedram Rezazadeh
017648325613
Dortmund
Time: Saturday 5th November
Contact: Maryam Jabbarzadeh 01786703944
daryagermany@yahoo.de
Details forthcoming
Leipzig
Time: Saturday 5th Nov
Contact: 017629319819
Details forthcoming
USA
Washington DC
Time: Sunday, November 6, 2011, 1pm
Place: 2209 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington DC (offices of the Islamic regime at the Pakistani Embassy) with march down to Georgetown to hand out flyers.
Contact: maria.rohaly@gmail.com
Organizers: Mission Free Iran & Unity for Democracy and Justice
Philadelphia
Time: Saturday 5th, 1 pm
Love Park, Broad and JFK Street
Contact: Soheila Nikpour 267-439-7185
FRANCE
Lyon
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 4-5 pm
Contact: Payam Azar
Details forthcoming
FINLAND
Helsinki
Time: Saturday 5th, 2- 4 pm
Place: At 14:00 hours we will gather in Helsingin rautatientori and at 14:20 we will start our march towards Narinkkatori behind Kamppi building.
Contact: abroadcommittee@gmail.com
CYPRUS
Nicosia
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 10-11 am
Place: In front of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic
Contact: Amir Masoud Khaghani, 96484292
amirmasoud.khaghani@gmail.com
jonbeshhoghoghpanahjo.cyprus@gmail.com
Limassol
Time: Saturday 5th November
Location forthcoming
Contact: Amir Masoud Khaghani, 96484292
amirmasoud.khaghani@gmail.com
jonbeshhoghoghpanahjo.cyprus@gmail.com
Larnaca
Time: Saturday 5th November
Location forthcoming
Contact: Amir Masoud Khaghani, 96484292
amirmasoud.khaghani@gmail.com
jonbeshhoghoghpanahjo.cyprus@gmail.com
JAPAN
Tokyo
On 5 and 6 Nov, Jamal Saberi, Worker-communist Party of Iran's cadre and an activist of the "Free Jailed Workers Campaign", will be speaking at the Railway Union meeting. Labour union representatives from Brazil, USA and South Korea will be present in the meeting, and the topic of the meeting is jailed workers in Iran.
GREECE
Athens
Time: Saturday 5th November, 5 pm
Place: Athens Polytechnic in Patission Street
Contact: Naser Aghbashloo 00306957954975
DENMARK
Copenhagen
Time: Saturday 5th November, 2-3 pm
Place: In front of the Embassy of Islamic Republic
Engskiftevej 6 - 2100 københavn
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This list is regularly updated. For the latest info, please see:
http://free-them-now.blogspot.com/ www.iranpoliticalprisoners.com http://on.fb.me/oWSQb8 www.missionfree iran.org
SWEDEN
Stockholm
Time: Saturday 5 November 2011, 1-3 pm
Place: In front of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic
Contact: Göran Gustavsson 0704009033 & Faramarz Ghorbani 0765647616
Gothenberg
Time: Saturday 5 November 2011, 1-3 pm
Place: Brunnsparken
Contact: Abe Asadi 07317178819
Borås
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 2-4pm
Place: Stora torget
Contact: Esmail Mardokhi 0 737 59 85 66
Helsingborg
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 2.30-5pm
Place: Stortorget
Contact: Gabi Hosseini 0760879874
Sävsjö
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 11am-1pm
Arian Mirzolfaghari 0700773423
zolfaghariarian4@gmail.com
Details forthcoming
Malmö
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 1-3 pm
Place: Triangeln
Contact: Hasan Salehi 0703171102
Farideh Arman 0703638088
Karlskrona
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 2-4 pm
Place: Ronnebygatan 43 till 47 i Centrum
Contact: Amir Kamrani; amir_ung@yahoo.com 0046704 53 10 47
nasserkhassaee@yahoo.com 0046762835308
UK
London
Time: Saturday 5 November 2011, 2-4 pm
Place: Trafalgar Sq., North Terrace, in front of the National Gallery
Then at 5pm we will gather outside the offices of the BBC Persian Service, Broadcasting House, 2-22 Portland Place, W1A 1AA
Contact: Behrooz Bahari 07838156819
Alireza Rashidi 07712810675
CANADA
Toronto
Time: Saturday 5 November 2011, 1-3 pm
Place: Yonge St & Dundas Intersection
Contact: Yadi Mahmoudi 416-471-7138
hkki.vca@gmail.com
Vancouver
Time: Saturday 5th November, 3-5 pm
Place: Art Gallery, Robson side
Contact: Masoud Arjang 001-6046495453
Vancouver District Labour Council also supports this call
HOLLAND
Amsterdam
Time: Saturday 5 November 2011, 1-3 pm
Place: Beursplein
Contact: Bahman Khani 0651273261
NORWAY
Oslo
Time: Saturday 5th November, 1-2 pm
Place: In front of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic
Contact: Saber Rahimi 0798694001
Abolghasem Kardar 04133-3268
GERMANY
Frankfurt
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 11am-1pm
Hauptwache Rathenauplatz
Contact: Shahnaz Moratab 015774650186
Berlin
Time: Saturday 5th, 2-4 pm
Place: Joachimstaler platz, am U-Bahnhof Kurfürstendamm
Contact: Farzaneh Derakhshan
Cologne
Time: Saturday 5th, 4 pm
Place: In front of Dom
Contact: Mohamad Nemati 01635522356
Hannover
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011 4-6pm
Place: Kropke
Contact: Naser kashkooli 0177 8348592
Würzburg
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 2.30-5 pm
Abdolbaset Soleimani, baset_marx@yahoo.com
Details forthcoming
Hamburg
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 1.30 pm
Place: Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, Glockengießerwall
Contact: Nazanin Borumand 0172-4044323, Pedram Rezazadeh
017648325613
Dortmund
Time: Saturday 5th November
Contact: Maryam Jabbarzadeh 01786703944
daryagermany@yahoo.de
Details forthcoming
Leipzig
Time: Saturday 5th Nov
Contact: 017629319819
Details forthcoming
USA
Washington DC
Time: Sunday, November 6, 2011, 1pm
Place: 2209 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington DC (offices of the Islamic regime at the Pakistani Embassy) with march down to Georgetown to hand out flyers.
Contact: maria.rohaly@gmail.com
Organizers: Mission Free Iran & Unity for Democracy and Justice
Philadelphia
Time: Saturday 5th, 1 pm
Love Park, Broad and JFK Street
Contact: Soheila Nikpour 267-439-7185
FRANCE
Lyon
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 4-5 pm
Contact: Payam Azar
Details forthcoming
FINLAND
Helsinki
Time: Saturday 5th, 2- 4 pm
Place: At 14:00 hours we will gather in Helsingin rautatientori and at 14:20 we will start our march towards Narinkkatori behind Kamppi building.
Contact: abroadcommittee@gmail.com
CYPRUS
Nicosia
Time: Saturday 5th November 2011, 10-11 am
Place: In front of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic
Contact: Amir Masoud Khaghani, 96484292
amirmasoud.khaghani@gmail.com
jonbeshhoghoghpanahjo.cyprus@gmail.com
Limassol
Time: Saturday 5th November
Location forthcoming
Contact: Amir Masoud Khaghani, 96484292
amirmasoud.khaghani@gmail.com
jonbeshhoghoghpanahjo.cyprus@gmail.com
Larnaca
Time: Saturday 5th November
Location forthcoming
Contact: Amir Masoud Khaghani, 96484292
amirmasoud.khaghani@gmail.com
jonbeshhoghoghpanahjo.cyprus@gmail.com
JAPAN
Tokyo
On 5 and 6 Nov, Jamal Saberi, Worker-communist Party of Iran's cadre and an activist of the "Free Jailed Workers Campaign", will be speaking at the Railway Union meeting. Labour union representatives from Brazil, USA and South Korea will be present in the meeting, and the topic of the meeting is jailed workers in Iran.
GREECE
Athens
Time: Saturday 5th November, 5 pm
Place: Athens Polytechnic in Patission Street
Contact: Naser Aghbashloo 00306957954975
DENMARK
Copenhagen
Time: Saturday 5th November, 2-3 pm
Place: In front of the Embassy of Islamic Republic
Engskiftevej 6 - 2100 københavn
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This list is regularly updated. For the latest info, please see:
http://free-them-now.blogspot.com/ www.iranpoliticalprisoners.com http://on.fb.me/oWSQb8 www.missionfree iran.org
Monday, 3 October 2011
Detained workers released as strike by thousands of petrochemical workers in Iran enters its ninth day
The strike by 6,500 petrochemical workers in Iran’s southern city of Mahshahr has entered its ninth day. The workers are demanding that the management honour the pledge made at the end of their great strike in April this year, namely elimination of contracting companies as intermediaries and introduction of direct employment contracts within three months following the strike. The workers took strike action as the company reneged on the deal even after a two-month extension granted by the workers, which expired on 22 September.
Meanwhile, according to the Free Union of Iranian Workers, two workers’ reps and another worker who were arrested on Saturday and detained by the Intelligence Ministry have been released. Mohammad Bagher Bagheri, Mansoor Abbasi and Jasem Badrani were told on Sunday that they may be recalled to the Intelligence Ministry for questioning at a later time.
Taking part in the strike since Sunday 25 September have been the workers of four companies of the Petrochemical Complex, namely Bandar Imam, Arvand, Amirkabir and Tondguyan, all based in the Special Economic Zone of Mahshahr. There have been daily rallies in the square facing the headquarters of the petrochemical company. In the protest gathering on Saturday the workers also demanded the release of their three detained colleagues.
The united strike of the petrochemical workers is a strong challenge to the Islamic Republic, and can provide a great impetus for a resurgence in worker struggles across all industries in Iran.
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