Friday 31 December 2010

Reza Shahabi sends a New Year message of thanks from his prison ward

To workers and workers' Organizations throughout the world!

On the occasion of the coming New Year, year 2011, I would like to extend my congratulations to all my beloved co-workers and fellow-workers throughout the world.

While me and my fellow workers have been incarcerated due to our advocacy of workers' rights in Iran, and because of our demands for creation of independent workers' organizations in Iran, many workers' organizations throughout the world have rallied in our support, and have condemned the treatment we have received in jail.

Also, while I was on my hunger strike, I received a multitude of support from workers and their organizations throughout the world. I would like to acknowledge and thank all of you for your messages of solidarity.

Hopefully through our solidarity we shall be able to overcome all obstacles in achieving our goals of justice, freedom and equality, and through our daily efforts transcend Capitalism and achieve what rightly belongs to us.

I wish for a day when all of us will be able to live a decent and humane life, without any wars or violence.

In the end I wish all of you a happy New Near, full of success, health and unity. I warmly shake all your hands

Reza Shahabi
Incarcerated Worker
Ward 209, Evin Prison, Tehran

December 26, 2010
5th of Day, 1389

Translated by International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI)
www.workers-iran.org

Iran: Call for urgent action as jailed labour activist Behnam Ebrahim-zadeh is charged with ‘waging war against God’

In an open letter to labour and human rights organisations and people of the world (see full text below), the parents of jailed labour activist Behnam Ebrahim-zadeh raise the alarm about grave allegations by the judicial authorities in Iran against their son, which if upheld could carry the death penalty.

The parents of Behnam (Asad) were informed this week by their son’s lawyer that Behnam has been accused of association with a banned opposition group and of having committed Moharebeh, literally ‘waging war against God’. Moharebeh is the usual charge by the regime in Iran against political dissidents, whom it intends to eliminate.

Behnam (Asad) Ebrahim-zadeh is a worker employed at a polyethylene pipes manufacturing company near Tehran. He is a labour and human rights activist. He was arrested on 12 June 2010 and is being detained at Evin Prison. He was beaten up during his arrest, and as a result suffered injuries to his leg and rib cage. Behnam had a court hearing on 13 December, at which he is reported to have been accused of affiliation to an opposition organisation and of Moharebeh. He has been refused bail.

There are grave concerns over Behnam’s life and safety. If these allegations are enforced and upheld, he will face execution. Thousands of political prisoners and dissident activists have been executed in this way in Iran, the latest case being that of 62-year old Ali Saremi, a political prisoner, who was executed on 28th December for Moharebeh.

We must act swiftly to save Behnam:


  • Let us know of any actions you are organising in your area

Letter by parents of jailed worker Asad Ebrahim-zadeh, charged with ‘waging war against God’

To people and labour organisations around the world

We are the parents of jailed worker Asad (Behnam) Ebrahim-zadeh. We send you our regards, and also our greetings on the arrival of the New Year. We are grateful to you all for supporting our son, Asad, and other jailed workers. However, unfortunately this job is not yet done. Our Asad is still in prison.

Asad was arrested on 12 June 2010 and has been in jail for nearly seven months. His only crime is supporting workers’ rights, children’s rights and human rights. He was once set a bail of 100 million Toman (US$96,000), which we finally managed to secure with great difficulty. However, this was refused with the excuse that it was [based on assets] from the provinces [not the capital, Tehran]. Thus Asad was kept in prison.

In protest against his detention and his maltreatment, Asad went on hunger strike for two weeks [in late September] which resulted in a stomach bleeding. He was then transferred from Ward 209 of Evin Prison [run by the Intelligence Ministry] to General Ward 350, pending trial. He was tried on 13 December. However, we have now been informed by our son’s lawyer that Asad has been accused of working with [the banned] People’s Mujahedeen Organisation and of Moharebeh [‘waging war against God’]. This is a frame-up; these are all pure lies; Asad’s only crime is defending people’s rights. These accusations are intended to hand him a severe sentence. That’s why we are extremely worried about him; we are worried about his life. Asad must be released, along with all jailed workers.

We ask all workers and humanitarian people of the world to do all they can to help us get Asad released. Asad’s life is in danger. Help us get him released and save him.

Ayisha Modarresi (Asad’s mother)
Rahman Ebrahim-zadeh (Asad’s father)

27 December 2010


Reproduced and disseminated by Sadegh Amiri, former member of the Follow-up Committee to Form Free Workers’ Organisations



SAMPLE LETTER to send to the Islamic Republic authorities

[
Date]

Dear Mr …

[Sadegh Larijani, Head of the Judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran]
[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran]
[Ali Khamenei, Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran]

Re Mr Behnam (Asad) Ebrahim-zadeh, Iran

I am writing to protest in the strongest possible terms at the arbitrary arrest and detention of labour and human rights activist Mr Behnam Ebrahim-zadeh.

Mr Ebrahim-zadeh was arrested on 12 June 2010, and for months his whereabouts were unknown, despite repeated, anxious enquiries by members of his family. However, when Behnam’s family finally were able to make contact with him, they learnt that he was being held in the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran and that during his arrest he had been badly beaten up, as a result of which he had suffered serious injuries to his rib cage and leg.

Given Mr Ebrahim-zadeh’s labour and human rights activities, it is clear that Mr Ebrahim-zadeh is being detained solely for his labour and human rights’ activities – i.e. the same reason for which trade unionists such as Mansoor Osanloo, Ebrahim Madadi and Reza Shahabi, and countless others before them, have been put in prison by your government.

In October, following a hunger strike in protest against his continued detention and maltreatment, Mr Ebrahim-zadeh was admitted to Evin Prison’s clinic with a bleeding stomach. He finally agreed to end his strike at the request of his family, when his condition had become critical.

Furthermore, we have now been informed by the parents of Mr Ebrahim-zadeh that following a court hearing on 13 December, Behnam is facing charges of association with an opposition organisation and of Moharebeh (‘waging war against God’), which his parents have described as pure fabrications.

Given the above, I wish to express my strongest protest against the detention of Mr Ebrahim-zadeh and my concerns about his health and safety in prison. I call on your government to immediately and unconditionally release Mr Ebrahim-zadeh and all the other jailed workers, including Mansoor Osanloo, Reza Shahabi, Ebrahim Madadi and Gholamreza Gholamhosseini.

Please be assured that I and my organisation are following this case closely, and will take any necessary publicity and lobbying actions in order to secure Mr Ebrahim-zadeh’s and other jailed activists’ safe release.

Yours faithfully,


[Name, position, organisation]

Thursday 30 December 2010

Iran: Jailed trade unionists Komsari and Nazari released

Two jailed members of Tehran's bus workers' union, namely, Morteza Komsari and Ali Akbar Nazari, were released on bail yesterday, Wednesday, according to the Union of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs United (Vahed) Bus Company. The two activists were being held without charge at Evin and Ghezel Hesar prisons since 23rd and 30th November 2010, respectively.

Four other leading members of the bus workers’ union, namely Reza Shahabi, Mansoor Ossanlou, Ebrahim Madadi and Gholamreza Gholamhosseini, and labour and human rights activist Behnam Ebrahim-zadeh, continue to be imprisoned. They are all being held solely for their labour activities. The campaign for the release of all five and for an end to worker persecutions in Iran continues. To sign the petition, please click here.

Sunday 12 December 2010

Hunger-striking Reza Shahabi starts to drink water

Jailed trade union leader Reza Shahabi who has been on hunger strike since Saturday 4th December, is reported to have started to drink water. The news comes from Reza's brother, Hasan Shahabi, who was speaking on Sunday to US-based Farsi-language radio station, Radio Farda. Reza reportedly agreed to end his dry hunger strike after a plea by a number of labour and other activists in Iran. According to Hasan Shahabi, Reza was transferred to the prison's clinic on Saturday.

The campaign to free Shahabi and other jailed workers continues.

  • Please publish and spread the news as widely as you can
  • Sign the urgent email campaign by Amnesty here 
  • And the petition to free jailed workers: http://workersiniran.org/jworkers/
  • Let us know of any actions you are organising in your area

Reza Shahabi and all the jailed workers must be released immediatley and unconditionally!

Friday 10 December 2010

Reza Shahabi’s condition reported as serious as family reach out to the world for support

Reza Shahabi, board member of Tehran’s bus workers’ union, has been in prison for the past six months without any charge. He is in prison for the sole reason of his union activities, for defending workers’ rights. In protest against his detention and condition, Shahabi has started a hunger strike since Saturday 4 December, refusing even water. His family, who were able to visit him, have described his condition as serious. At the visit, Shahabi was reportedly unable even to walk to the glass cabinet and had to be helped along by his prison mates. In addition, due to his general weakness, in the past few days Reza has suffered a number of falls, resulting in bruises and a leg injury.

In an appeal to trade unions, human rights organisations and the world media (see below), the family of Reza Shahabi have called for urgent action to get Shahabi and his jailed colleagues released.

In addition to Reza Shahabi, currently Mansour Ossanlou, Ebrahim Madadi, Gholamreza Ghlolamhosseini, Morteza Komsari, Ali Akbar Nazari (all members of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Vahed Bus Company), as well as trade unionist and human rights activist Behnam Ebrahimzadeh are in jail in Iran.

The Free Them Now! Campaign emphatically supports the appeal by the family of Reza Shahabi and calls for urgent actions worldwide to get Reza Shahabi safely out of prison and secure the release of all the other jailed trade unionists.

  •  Please publish and spread the news as widely as you can
  • Sign the petition for the release of jailed workers: http://workersiniran.org/jworkers/
  • Let us know of any actions you are organising in your area

10 December 2010
 
Free Them Now!
Campaign to Free Jailed Workers in Iran

Campaign co-ordinators:
Shahla Daneshfar (Shahla_Daneshfar@yahoo.com 0044-7779 898968)
Bahram Soroush (Bahram.Soroush@gmail.com 0044-7852 338334)


Letter by the family of jailed Iran unionist Reza Shahabi:

To workers, trade unions, human rights organisations and world media

As you are aware, Reza Shahabi, who is being detained in Ward 209 of Evin Prison [in Tehran, Iran], has been on a dry hunger strike since Saturday 4th December. Given previous multiple medical conditions and the problems suffered during the six months that he has been in prison, his health is in serious danger.

Although a letter stating his release was issued on 11 October, and we have submitted a 600 million Rial [App. US$60,000] bail, while Reza himself has signed a bail pledge for 1 billion Rial [App. US$100,000], the two judicial authorities whom we have been referred to deny being in charge of Reza Shahabi’s case.

Reza Shahabi has been in jail for six months for defending workers’ rights. He is still in jail although his release letter was issued two months ago. And now his health is in serious danger, and we can’t think what further damage the dry hunger strike will do to him.

We hereby request all workers, trade unions, human rights organisations, the media and concerned people to do all they can for the release of Reza Shahabi, his jailed colleagues and all jailed workers.

Partner, brothers and family members of Reza Shahabi
Thursday 9 December 2010

[Translated from Farsi by Free Them Now! - Campaign to Free Jailed Workers in Iran  http://free-them-now.blogspot.com/]   

On hunger strike for one week: Reza Shahabi's family appeal for international support

Letter from Reza Shahabi’s family:

To workers, trade unions, human rights organisations and world media

As you are aware, Reza Shahabi, who is being detained in Ward 209 of Evin Prison [in Tehran, Iran], has been on a dry hunger strike since Saturday 4th December. Given previous multiple medical conditions and the problems suffered during the six months that he has been in prison, his health is in serious danger.

Although a letter stating his release was issued on 11 October, and we have submitted a 600 million Rial [App. US$60,000] bail, while Reza himself has signed a bail pledge for 1 billion Rial [App. US$100,000], the two judicial authorities whom we have been referred to deny being in charge of Reza Shahabi’s case.

Reza Shahabi has been in jail for six months for defending workers’ rights. He is still in jail although his release letter was issued two months ago. And now his health is in serious danger, and we can’t think what further damage the dry hunger strike will do to him.

We hereby request all workers, trade unions, human rights organisations, the media and concerned people to do all they can for the release of Reza Shahabi, his jailed colleagues and all jailed workers.

Partner, brothers and family members of Reza Shahabi
Thursday 9 December 2010

[Translated from Farsi by Free Them Now! Campaign to Free Jailed Workers in Iran  http://free-them-now.blogspot.com/]

Thursday 9 December 2010

Fear for life of jailed Iran unionist, Reza Shahabi, on 6th day of dry hunger strike

The condition of jailed board member of Tehran's bus workers' union is described as extremely serious as he nears the end of the 6th day of his dry hunger strike in protest against his continued detention. In a letter to the world's trade unions and human rights organisations, Shahabi's family have raised the alarm about his health, calling for urgent international action to force the Iranian authorities to release him immediately. Shahabi was arrested in June 2010 and continues to be detained despite the fact that his family have provided the onerous bails demanded. Concerns for his health are particularly high as Shahabi already suffers from multiple medical problems. To follow: Text of the letter by members of Shahabi's family.