The regime in Iran has again
stepped up its persecution of worker activists – from more arrests to harassment
of those already in jail and their families. These activists are in prison
purely for their trade union activities. They must be freed immediately and
unconditionally.
Reza Shahabi is a
leader of the Union of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs United Bus Company. He has
been in prison for the past two and a half years. Shahabi suffers from a number
of ailments, and since last week in protest against denial of proper medical
care has begun a hunger strike and is also refusing medicines. There are now
serious concerns for his health.
Five
members of the workers’ organisation the Co-ordinating Committee to Help Set Up
Labour Organisations have been arrested in the city of Bokan in the West of
Iran. They are: Jamal Mina Shiri, Ebrahim Mostafa Poor, Ghasem
Mostafa Poor, Hadi Tanomand and Mohammad Karimi. Their
families, who have been protesting outside the Intelligence Ministry, have been
told that the detained activists will remain in prison for another week.
Pedram Nassrollahi,
a member of the Co-ordinating Committee to Help Set Up Labour Organisations,
has had a third court hearing where his 19-month sentence has been confirmed.
He has also been moved to solitary confinement and is currently incommunicado.
Behnam Ebrahimzadeh
is a labour and children’s rights activist and a member of the Follow-Up
Committee to Set Up Free Labour Organisations. Ebrahimzadeh, who has already
served half of a five-year sentence, has been moved to solitary confinement and
is currently incommunicado.
According
to the Follow-Up Committee to Set Up Free Labour Organisations, the children of
jailed labour activist Mohammad Jarahi are being harassed as a way of
exerting pressure on their father. Jarahi has already spent 15 months in
prison, as part of a five-year sentence.
Ali Nejati, a
leader of Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Workers’ Union, and his wife Shahnaz Sogand
are constantly being summoned and harassed.
In addition, Shahrokh
Zamani, a member of the Follow-Up Committee to Set Up Free Labour
Organisations, is serving an 11-year sentence; Rasoul Bodaghi, a member
of the Teachers Trade Association, is serving a 6-year sentence; Abdolreza
Ghanbari, a teacher activist, is on death row for taking part in an
anti-government demonstration in December
2009; and numerous political dissidents are in prison for opposing the
Islamic regime.
* * *
All jailed trade unionists and political prisoners
must be freed immediately and unconditionally! Harassment of workers and their
families must stop immediately!
Free Them
Now! Campaign to Free
Jailed Workers in Iran
Shahla Daneshfar
shahla_daneshfar@yahoo.com
Bahram Soroush bahram.soroush@gmail.com
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