The Tehran prosecutor’s office sent the coroner’s report to Evin prison, in which it has been recommended that Reza Shahabi must be quickly taken to hospital for an emergency operation.

 On past Sunday, when Reza was speaking with his wife and children, constant pressure could be heard from the other end telling him to hang up and end the communication.  This is whilst Sundays are set aside for prisoners from section 209 to use the telephone.  However the guards sought to put him under further psychological pressure by telling him to finish his call quickly, even though he was using his official weekly telephone time; they left him with no choice but to cut his conversation short.

 For a long time, Reza’s family have not been able to visit him. During his last fortnightly visiting time Reza Shahabi had been too weak and sick to get to the visiting room because of the effects of his hunger strike.  Security operatives tried to do psychological damage to his family by telling them that Reza himself did not wish to “see his family”.

 Shahabi is a worker who has defended the legitimate rights of other fellow workers, and because of that he has been in detention for 19 months . He is in a very unsafe condition and there is a growing fear that he might become paralyzed. He is facing unbearable conditions and his life is in danger.

 The Reza Shahabi Defence Committee thanks all the organizations and individuals who have declared their support or membership of the committee and will soon communicate these names and declarations.

 This committee calls for urgent steps to be taken in the immediate and unconditional release of Reza Shahabi.

 Reza Shahabi Defence Committee- 16 Azar 1390

December 7, 2011

فرانسه:

Communiqué n° 2 du comité de défense de Réza Shahabi

 Depuis 15 jours, Réza Shahabi a entamé une grève de la faim. Ce travailleur et militant syndicaliste est détenu dans la section 209 de la prison d’Evin. Nous n’avons pas beaucoup de  nouvelles sur sa situation.

La dernière fois qu’on a entendu la voix de Réza ; c’était le dimanche 13 Azar ( 4 décembre), il avait une voix tremblante qui révélait sa très mauvaise santé. Réza pourrait devenir paralysé (selon les médecins). On ne sait pas encore s’il a été transféré à l’hôpital ou pas ?

Le procureur de Téhéran  a envoyé à la prison la confirmation du médecin légal selon lequel

Réza Shahabi a besoin ,le plus rapidement possible, d’une opération chirurgicale .

 Le dimanche , pendant que Réza était en train de parler avec sa femme et ses enfants, alors que chaque prisonnier a droit de parler au téléphone un temps réglementé, Réza a été contraint de finir rapidement sa conversation. Il subit apparemment beaucoup de pression par des gardiens de la prison.

 La famille de Réza n’a pas droit de visite régulière par des diverses raisons notamment l’état de santé de celui-ci.( d’après les agents de la prison).

 Shahabi est un travailleur et le militant syndicaliste, Cela fait 19 mois qu’il est en prison, seulement pour avoir défendu les intérêts des travailleurs. Et actuellement il risque de devenir paralysé et sa vie est en danger.

Le comité de défense de Réza Shahabi remercie toutes les organisations et toutes les personnes qui sont membre du comité ou ont apporté leur soutien.

 Ce comité appelle à une action immédiate et il demande la libération rapide et sans condition de R.Shahabi.

 Le comité de défense de Réza Shahabi

Le 16 Azar 1390 ( le 7 décembre 2011)

Reza Shahabi, a worker and board member of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran Vahed Bus Company, is imprisoned in Evin prison since 12^th of June 2010 due to defending his and other workers’ rights and demands. Reza has severe kidney and liver problems and is suffering extreme spinal column problems and there is numbness on the left side of his body.  According to the physicians he might become paralyzed. He has been transferred to hospital several times for emergency reasons.

 During the last 19 months, Reza’s family members and children have been in the worst mental, physical and economic conditions. We contacted and also wrote over and over again to judicial and various authorities without any result; Reza is still in prison, his situation uncertain and his life at risk.

 In protest against his condition, Reza has gone on a hunger strike since November 22^nd, 2011. We made all our efforts for his release during the last 19 months, but this imprisoned worker is still incarcerated and in critical condition.

 Reza believes that workers should only rely on workers’ solidarity and support, and he has consistently endeavored in this manner.

 We, the family members and relatives of Reza Shahabi, support Reza and his principles, and hence we reach our hands to workers and labour organizations and ask everyone to make efforts for an unconditional and immediate release of Reza Shahabi.

 Hereby, we announce the formation of the “Committee in Defense of Reza Shahabi” and ask anyone who is interested to join the committee or to support its objectives to contact the email below:

k.d.shahabi@gmail.com

k-d-shahabi.blogspot.com

Reza Shahabi Defense Committee

December 3, 2011

Shirin Shahabi – Mohammad Amin Shahabi – Robabeh Rezai – Maryam Ghassemlou – Nader Naderi – Hamid Rezai – Zahra Shahabi – Bahman Shahabi – Mehdi Shahabi – Asgar Shahabi – Qasem Shahabi

 Cc: All workers, labour organizations, media and judicial authorities

German:

 ufruf zur Gründung der Solidaritätskomitee zur Verteidigung von Reza Schahabi,

An alle Arbeiter/Innen, Gewerkschaften, Medien

 Reza Schahabi, Arbeiter und Vorstandsmitglied der Teheraner Busfahrer Gewerkschaft ist seit 19 Monaten im gefürchteten Ewin Gefängnis. Rezas einzige Schuld ist die Verteidigung der Rechte und Forderungen der Arbeiterklasse im Iran. Reza leidet an erheblichen Beschwerden der Leber und der Nieren und vier Wirbel der Wirbelsäule sind so geschädigt, dass er Taubheitsgefühle an der linken Körperseite hat. Die Ärzte schließen das Risiko einer vollständigen Lähmung nicht aus. Während den 19 Monaten Haft ist Rezas Familie in eine äußerst schwierige psychische wie auch finanzielle Lage gekommen. Trotz aller Bemühungen seiner Familie über die Zuständigen der Justiz, der Polizei sowie dem Arbeitsministerium die Lage zu klären, ist Reza weiterhin in Haft und sein Leben immer noch in Gefahr.

Unter diesen unklaren Umständen ist Reza seit dem 1. Azar in einen Hungerstreik getreten.

Dies gefährdet zusätzlich schon geschwächte Gesundheit Rezas.

Reza war immer der Überzeugung, die Arbeiterklasse muss sich auf eigene Solidarität und Stärke verlassen und hat immer dieses Ziel verfolgt. Wir, die Angehörigen Rezas, appellieren auf Solidarität und Zusammenhalt der Arbeiterklasse weltweit, wie es von ihm immer gefordert wurde, um die sofortige Freilassung von Reza zu erreichen. Aus diesem Anlass möchten wir die Gründung des Solidaritätskomitees bekannt geben und alle, die uns bei diesen Kampagnen unterstützen können, bitten wir sich mit uns unter folgenden Adressen in Verbindung zu setzen:

k.d.shahabi@gmail.com

k-d-shahabi.blogspot.com

 Komitee zur Verteidigung von Reza Shahabi

Shirin Shahabi, Mohammad Amin Shahabi, Robabeh Rezaaie, Maryam Ghasemloo, Nader Naderi, Hamid Rezaie, Zahra Shahabi, Bahman Shahabi, Mehdi Shahabi, Askar Shahabi, Ghasem Shahabi

 …………………………………………………………………………….

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French:

 La création d’un comité de défense de Réza Shahabi

 Une copie aux travailleurs

Une copie aux organisations syndicales

Une copie aux médias et responsables judiciaires

 Les travailleurs, le peuple et les consciences éveillées,

 Réza Shahabi , travailleur et membre du  conseil du syndicat Vahed des chauffeurs de bus de Téhéran, est emprisonné depuis son arrestation le 12 juin 2010. cela fait 19 mois qu’il est en prison seulement pour avoir défendu les intérêts des travailleurs.

 Réza a des sérieux problèmes de santé. Il a l’insuffisance rénale, et quatre vertèbres de son dos se sont détériorées. Et tout son côté gauche pourrait devenir paralysé selon les médecins.

A plusieurs reprises, il est transféré de la prison à l’hôpital.

 Pendant ces 19 mois, les membres de sa famille et ses enfants étaient dans une situation difficile à plusieurs égards. Nous avons essayé par tous les moyens de contacter et interpeller les responsables et autorités judiciaires, mais en vain. Pour protester les conditions de ses détentions, Réza a entamé une grève de la faim depuis 22 novembre et actuellement, sa vie est en danger.

 Réza croyait et croit que les travailleurs ne doivent compter que sur les soutiens des autres travailleurs.

 Nous, les membres de sa famille en soutenant Réza Shahabi et ses idéaux, avons besoin des travailleurs et des organisations syndicales et nous souhaitons que tous ensemble, demandons la libération immédiat et sans condition de Réza Shahabi .

 Par la présente, nous annonçons la création d’un comité de défense de Réza Shahabi et nous demandons à tous ceux qui souhaitent devenir membre de ce comité et à toutes les personnes qui souhaite apporter leur soutien à ce comité , contacter les adresses ci-dessous :

k.d.shahabi@gmail.com

k-d-shahabi.blogspot.com

 3 décembre 2011

 Shirin Shahabi- Mohammad amin Shahabi- Robabeh Rézaï- Maryam Ghasemloo-Nader Naderi- Hamid Rezaï- Zahra Shahabi- Bahmin Shahabi- Mehdi Shahabi- Asgar Shahabi- Ghasem Shahabi

 ……………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………….

 Spanish:

 La creación de un comité de defensa de Reza Shahabi

una copia a los trabajadores

una copia a los sindicatos    

una copia  a los funcionarios judiciales 

y a los trabajadores de los medios y las personas con la conciensia despierta

  Reza  Shahabi  trabajador y un miembro de la sindicato Vahed de los conductores de bus en Tehran  en el  12 de junio 2010  debido a defender los derechos y demandas de trabajadores esta en la presión de Evin en Tehran desde hace 19 meses.

Reza sufre problemas de salud en hígado, riñón y cintura de la tuerca y ahora ha sido la geopolítica perdida Baucalis a la izquierda que se ha transferido su cuerpo ha advertido a doctores y de acuerdo con la parálisis el suyo muy probablemente tiene allí y hasta ahora varias veces se ha ingresado en hospital.  

En el período de 19 meses, los miembros y los niños de la familia Reza estan en las condiciones peores mentales,fisicos y las tareas económicas.

 Nosotros en varias ocasiones nos acercamos  a las autoridades judiciales también referimos al varios correspondencia y REZA no ha sido liberado todavia  y  no se ha lanzado hasta ahora y el comandante su vida está en peligro.   Reza en protesta contra el estado desde 22 de noviembre  esta en huelga de hambre.   Todos sus esfuerzos a este trabajo es debido a que el cree que entre los trabajadores se tienen que apoyar pero ahora, después de 19 meses continuos en condiciones físicas peligrosas por su salud en la prisión.  

Nosotros miembros de la familia de Reza estamos incondicialmente apoyándole y para el pedimos la libertad inmediato.

Esto significa que formamos a “comité de defensa REZA contacte 

k.d.shahabi@gmail.com

k-d-shahabi.blogspot.com

 3 décembre 2011

 Shirin Shahabi- Mohammad amin Shahabi- Robabeh Rézaï- Maryam Ghasemloo-Nader Naderi- Hamid Rezaï- Zahra Shahabi- Bahmin Shahabi- Mehdi Shahabi- Asgar Shahabi- Ghasem Shahabi

Labour activists in Iran continue to pay a heavy price for the achievement of their basic rights.  It has always been a policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) to persecute worker activists by intimidations, kidnapping and arrest without charge, or sentencing them to long imprisonment in shambolic and unjust trials. Even while in prison, their basic rights as a human being is being violated. Now the regime is doing its utmost to make this sort of treatment of labour activists to become of the norm. Therefore, there is frequent news of more workers activists being persecuted. Recent incidents confirm this.

 Mr. Shahrokh Zamani, a member of the “Committee to Pursue the Establishment of Workers’ Organisations” and one of organizers of “The Founding Committee of the Syndicate of Painting and Decorating Workers”, was arrested by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence at midnight of 8 June 2011, while travelling from Tehran to Tabriz.  26 days later Shahrokh contacted his family and informed them that he is held in solitary confinement. He told them he had been in hunger strike for past 20 days in protest to his arrest. According to latest news he is due to be taken to Branch 4 of Tabriz Islamic Revolutionary Court on 19 July, 2011. According to the latest news, Shahrokh was transferred to Tabriz prison on July 13, 2011. He stopped his hunger strike after it was requested by other prisoners. He is currently in bad condition; he has lost lots of weight. At this time it is still not clear whether he would be tried or be informed of charges against him.

 Mohammad Jarahi, a member of the “Committee to Pursue the Establishment of Workers’ Organisations”, who worked in a petrochemical complex field of Asalooye before being sacked, was arrested by order from branch 11 of the Tabriz Revolutionary court on 20 June 2011. Prior to this, Mohammad Jarahi had been arrested by the ministry of intelligent agents in 2007 and was sentenced to four months imprisonment, but was released early as result of a protest campaign launched by labour activists in Tabriz.

 In addition, Mr. Seyed Biouk Seyyed Lar, a worker at Saba Train, and well-known labour activist, was arrested in June 2011 and has been detained in Tabriz prison.

 Indeed one must add the names of above mentioned worker activists to a long list of labour activists who are either still in prison or have been released on bail after serving prison sentences:

 Ebrahim Madadi, vice president of the syndicate of Tehran bus workers, has been in prison since 27 December 2008 serving his three and half years prison sentence.

 Reza Shahabi, treasurer of the Syndicate of bus workers of Tehran and suburb, has been in custody in the notorious Evin prison for more than one year. He was arrested on 12 June 2010 without a charge. After almost a year on 25  May 2011 he was tried in a court in Tehran on charges of “propaganda against the Islamic State” and “conspiracy against National Security”  which is a standard sham charge used by the Islamic state judiciary against almost all labour and political activists in Iran.  However, the prosecution is seeking to bring a fresh charge of “enmity against God” against Shahabi, a charge which carries a death sentence in Iran. Shahabi is still being held in Evin prison in a state of uncertainty. According to the latest news, his health has recently deteriorated; he has been suffering from regular nose bleeding. He also suffered from neck pain, severe cramps and skin rash.  Shahabi, similar to all other political prisoners, is denied of access to adequate medical examination and treatments.

 Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, a worker activist, a member of the “Committee to Pursue the Establishment of Workers’ Organisations” who also was a campaigner against child labour, was arrested on 12 June 2010 while boarding a bus. Initially he was tried in a Tehran court, charged with “Acting Against National Security” and “ disturbing Public opinion” and was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.  Following protests by his family and lawyer he was tried again in branch 28 of Tehran revolutionary Court on 12 June 2011 and was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment.

 Mansour Osanloo, president of the board of directors of Syndicate of bus workers of Tehran and suburb was released on bail on June 2, 2011, after more than four years of unjust imprisonment.  His imprisonment was protested world wild through sustained campaigns by trade unionists and human right organisations.  Throughout his time in prison, Osanloo was suffering from a heart condition and eye problem. Prior to his recent release, Osanloo had spent almost 7 month in prison lasting from December 2005 to July 2006. According to the latest report from Iran, Mansour Osanloo’s release is considered provisional by the authorities and thus he is under onerous bail conditions and faces many restrictions.

 In addition to imprisonment, many labour activists have been sacked from their workplaces as means to undermine workers’ positions. For instance, all members of the executive board of “syndicate of workers of Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Company” have been sacked. Also many members of Tehran bus workers’ syndicate have been sacked.

 By imprisoning and sacking labour activists and leaders of independent labour organisations, the IRI aims to spread fear and intimidation among workers, to suppress functioning of already existing autonomous labour organisations and to prevent new ones being set up. This policy is ruthlessly pursued while the regime is implementing a neoliberal policy of cutting state subsidies to basic consumer goods such as bread, rice, fuel, water, gas, electricity. As result of these cut backs, cost of living has increased substantially in recent months, sending ever increasing numbers of families below the poverty line. 

 International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran once again utterly condemns arrest and imprisonment of labour activists in Iran. We vow to strengthen our campaigns for freedom of all imprisoned workers and political prisoners in Iran. We call on workers’ organisations and trade unions internationally as well as human rights’ organisations and all progressive parties to condemn violation of the most basic rights of workers in Iran.  We specifically call on labour organisations in different countries to take initiatives in this regard and organise concrete actions in support of workers in Iran. The action taken by French trade union federations, in collaboration with Swiss trade unions, on June 9, 2011 in Geneva, was a great solidarity step that brought labour activists from Belgium and Italy to Senegal and Egypt together in support of workers’ rights and struggles in Iran. A renewed campaign for immediate and unconditional release of all imprisoned workers and to defend workers’ rights in Iran to form their own independent labour organisations is urgently needed.

International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI)

July 15, 2011

 info@workers-iran.org

www.workers-iran.org / www.etehadbinalmelali.com

  Nouvelle campagne pour la libération de tous les militants syndicaux emprisonnés en Iran

 Les droits les plus élémentaires des travailleurs en Iran sont bafoués et les militants syndicaux paient un prix élevé pour les obtenir ; La menace, l’intimidation, l’arrestation et les lourdes peines d’emprisonnement font partie intégrante de la politique anti-ouvrière du régime en Iran.

 Pas une semaine ou un mois passe sans qu’un militant travailleur ne soit arrêté en Iran. Les syndicalistes indépendants sont la cible de la répression.

 Concernant les arrestations les plus récentes :

 d’après la campagne de soutien de Shahrokh Zamani ; Le 7 juin 2011, Shahrokh Zamani, alors qu’il partait de Téhéran vers Tabriz, il a été arrêté dans l’autocar, par des agents du ministère des renseignements. Shahrokh Zamani est peintre en bâtiment, syndicaliste et membre fondateur de l’union des peintres  du bâtiment, et membre du comité de suivi pour créations des organisations ouvrières. Shahrokh était en grève de la faim pour protester contre son arrestation. Basé sur les dernières nouvelles, Shahrokh a été transféré à la prison de Tabriz Juillet 13, 2011. Il a arrêté sa grève de la faim après la demande par d’autres prisonniers.

 Mohammad Jarahi ( ouvrier licencié de Assaluyeh) a aussi été arrêté à la fin du mois de juin .Il est membre du comité de suivi des créations des organisations ouvrières.

 En outre, M. Seyed Biouk Seyyed Lar, un ouvrier de Saba Train, et militant ouvrier bien connu, a été arrêté en Juin 2011 emprisonné à la prison de Tabriz.

 Ces arrestations viennent s’ajouter à  la longue liste des syndicalistes et militants travailleurs emprisonnés.

 Ebrahim Madadi, vice président du syndicat des travailleurs de la régie des bus de Téhéran, est en prison depuis 28 décembre 2008 .

 Réza Shahabi trésorier du syndicat des travailleurs de la régie des bus de Téhéran est en prison depuis plus d’un an . Shahabi a été arrêté  le 11 juin 2010 sans aucune charge contre lui. Un an après, au mois de juin 2011, il a été transféré de la prison au tribunal pour assister a son procès. Il a été accusé de Moharebeh ( ennemis de Dieu) qui est une accusation grave passible de la peine de mort.  Il faut noter que Réza Shahabi a de très sérieux problèmes de santé. Il souffre de douleur au cou et des crampes graves et d’un saignement du nez. Shahabi, comme les autres prisonniers politiques, n’a pas accès aux examens et traitement médicaux.

 Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, ouvrier de l’usine poly Co. de Shahre Rey,  syndicaliste et membre du comité de suivi pour créations des organisations ouvrières, a été arrêté 11 juin 2010,  condamné à 20 ans de prison en premier instance ; sa famille, à l’aide de son avocat, a fait appel, il a été rejugé et sa peine est alors réduite à 5 ans. il est actuellement en prison d’Evin.

 Mansour Osanloo, président du syndicat des travailleurs de la  régie des bus de Téhéran,

après 4 ans d’emprisonnement, il a été libéré le 8 juin 2011 sous caution. Durant sa détention Osanloo souffrait de  plusieurs problèmes de santé notamment au cœur et aux yeux.

 Le licenciement est une autre mesure de répression qui est utilisé largement par la République Islamique. Pour donner un exemple : les membres du bureau du syndicat des travailleurs de la canne à sucre d’Haft Tapeh ont été licenciés et quelques-uns parmi eux  ont été emprisonnés.

 Le harcèlement et la persécution auxquels les syndicalistes sont confrontés, ressemblent à une tentative désespérée du gouvernement pour empêcher n’importe quel mouvement en faveur des travailleurs. Et surtout pour empêcher la création des syndicats indépendants.

 Alliance internationale pour le soutien des travailleurs en Iran condamne tous ces actes et mesures de répression à l’encontre des travailleurs et affirme sa solidarité avec la lutte des travailleurs.

 Nous appelons à tous ceux qui sont épris de liberté et de justice, à réagir face à cette situation.

Nous demandons à toutes les organisations des travailleurs et toutes les institutions de défense des droits de l’Homme de faire pression sur les autorités iraniennes.

Nous demandons également à tous les partis et forces progressistes de s’indigner et de condamner les autorités iraniennes pour le non-respect des droits élémentaires des travailleurs.

 Les mesures prises par les syndicats français, en collaboration avec les syndicats suisses, le 9 Juin 2011 à Genève, ont été une étape d’une grande solidarité qui a provoqué la solidarité des militants syndicaux de Belgique et d’Italie, de Sénégal et d’Egypte  pour soutenir des droits des travailleurs et des luttes en Iran.

 Une nouvelle campagne pour la libération immédiate et inconditionnelle de tous les travailleurs emprisonnés et défendre les droits des travailleurs en Iran afin de former leurs propres organisations syndicales indépendantes est une nécessité urgente.

 Vive la solidarité internationale des travailleurs !

Libérez les travailleurs emprisonnés !

Libérez les prisonniers politiques en Iran !

 Alliance internationale pour  le soutien  des travailleurs en Iran

Le 15 juillet 2011

info@workers-iran.org

www.workers-iran.org / www.etehadbinalmelali.com

 National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers (RMT)

 Below is a part of RMT President’s, Alex Gordon, speech at RMT AGM 2011, in Fort William, in which he addressed the urgency of international solidarity of workers in Britain, in Egypt, in Iran and all over the world.

 RMT is a fighting, democratic trade union – particularly a socialist trade union, by its constitution, history and practice. As Alex Gordon states, RMT “stands in irreconcilable opposition to finance capital’s attacks on democracy. What is a trade union after all? It is the distilled experience of day-to-day democracy practised by working people. In our branches and regional councils week after week we teach and relearn the importance of democratic debate and decision-making and above all of collective responsibility”.

 Please see video link below to Alex Gordon’s speech at the RMT AGM: http://www.rmtv.org.uk/video/video90/index.html

 Trade union rights are human rights: 

 Last year I reminded AGM delegates that while we carry out our debates, our comrades around the world face imprisonment, degrading and inhumane treatment and threats of torture or worse simply for being trade unionists. 

 Since last year we have witnessed inspiring actions by workers fighting for their rights from Wisconsin to Cairo.  One hero of the ‘Arab spring’ is Ali Fattouh, a Cairo bus driver, charged with incitement to strike.  Two days after the Cairo bus strike, President Hosni Mubarak was forced to step down as Cairo and other cities came to a halt.  Ali faced a 7-year jail sentence at his trial on 4 June.  Judgement was reserved until yesterday when he was acquitted.

 Haitham Muhammadain, lawyer to the Independent Public Transport Authority Union in Cairo has written to say: “On behalf of the Independent Public Transport Authority Union I’d like to express our thanks to the RMT and other UK trade unions who sent Ali Fattouh messages of support.  This solidarity is very important to us, as although Ali was found not guilty by the court, we know that this case was a clear attack on the leadership of the independent unions.  It is part of a wider campaign through the legislation against strikes and protests and the arrests and harassment of trade unionists, which we are witnessing now.  Yesterday, for example, five colleagues from the Health Technicians Union were arrested and are facing a trial in a military court. We still need your solidarity.” 

 On 2 June this year, after sustained campaigning by transport trade unionists, together with Amnesty International and many international human rights campaigners we welcomed the release from prison of Mansour Osanloo, President of the Executive Committee of the Tehran Bus Workers’ union.  He had been held in prison since 12 July 2007, almost four years. 

 Although Mansour Osanloo has been temporarily released he is under onerous bail conditions and faces many restrictions.  Meanwhile, Osanloo’s fellow Executive Committee members for the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Vahed Company, Reza Shahabi (Treasurer) and Ebrahim Madadi (Vice President), remain in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison. On 25 May 2011, Reza Shahabi’s trial on charges of “propaganda against the system” and “gathering and colluding against state security” concluded before a branch of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran.  His lawyer has stated that the prosecution is seeking to bring a fresh charge of “enmity against God” against Shahabi, a charge which carries a mandatory death sentence in Iran.  In addition, Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, a labour activist, has recently been imprisoned and a number of teachers including Hashem Khansar and Rasoul Bodaghi are in prison as well. 

 Iran is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states that “Everyone shall have the right to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and join trade unions for the protection of his interests”, and to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which guarantees the “right of everyone to form trade unions and join the trade union of his choice”. 

 Delegates, let us renew our call for freedom and full political and trade union rights for all workers in Britain, in Egypt, in Iran and all over the world. 

 Freedom for Reza Shahabi! 

Freedom for Ebrahim Madadi! 

Free all political prisoners in Iran!

 An announcement about the meeting of

the board of directors of Syndicate of Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Workers

 We hereby publicly announce the holding of the meeting of the board of directors of the Haft Tapeh Syndicate. This meeting was attended by all members of the Board. The agenda of the meeting were to review the current state of the Syndicate as well as the election of the executive board.

 After discussion about the current status of syndicate and the immediate problems, including the issues related to return to work of the sacked members of board of directors, the meeting began discussion on election of the Executive.

 We need to remind that Reza Rakhshan’s one-year term as the president of the Board of Directors of the Syndicate has ended and the board of directors of the syndicate needed to elect a new president for the Board.

 During the discussions related to the elections, a proposal to change the approach of the board of directors, in order to replace collective work instead of choosing the head of the Board, was submitted.

 The proposed direction, provides an opportunity for the Syndicate’s board of directors to address affairs of the Syndicate more cohesive and unified, and it would create equitable chances of participation and responsibility for all members of the board of directors. This proposal was unanimously approved by the board of directors of the Haft Tapeh Syndicate.

 The board of directors of the Haft Tapeh Syndicate thanks the previous heads of the board of directors, Ali Nejati and Reza Rakhshan, and hopes the new arrangement would help us to become more effective and powerful in defense of the interests of workers of Haft Tapeh sugar cane company; and also to act with more strength towards fulfilling our obligations to the Iranian Labour community.

 The Board of Directors of The Syndicate of Workers of Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Company

Tir 1390 (July 2011)*

 *Translated by IASWI: Original announcement in Farsi:

اطلاعیه درباره برگزاری نشست هیأت مدیره سندیکای کارگران نیشکر هفت تپه

http://www.etehadbinalmelali.com/HTML_11/3_7_11/haftapeh.htm

 Please take a moment to send this protest letter or use your own version:

Sample Protest letter:

 Stop persecution and prosecution of workers in Iran

Free all jailed workers now

 I (we) am (are) writing this to condemn persecution and arrests of labour activists in Iran. Labour activists in Iran are being constantly harassed and arrested by the Iranian government authorities. Latest reports from Iran indicate the arrest of the following workers:

 Mr. Shahrokh Zamani, a member of the “Committee to Pursue the Establishment of Workers’ Organisations” and one of organizers of “The Founding Committee of the Syndicate of Painting and Decorating Workers”, was arrested by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence at midnight of 8 June 2011, while travelling from Tehran to Tabriz.  26 days later Shahrokh contacted his family and informed them that he is held in solitary confinement. He told them he had been in hunger strike for past 20 days in protest to his arrest. According to latest news he is due to be taken to Branch 4 of Tabriz Islamic Revolutionary Court on 19 July, 2011. According to the latest news, Shahrokh was transferred to Tabriz prison on July 13, 2011. He stopped his hunger strike after it was requested by other prisoners. He is currently in bad condition; he has lost lots of weight.

• Mohammad Jarahi, a member of the “Committee to Pursue the Establishment of Workers’ Organisations”, who worked in a petrochemical complex field of Asalooye before being sacked, was arrested by order from branch 11 of the Tabriz Revolutionary court on 20 June 2011.
• Mr. Seyed Biouk Seyyed Lar, a worker at Saba Train, and well-known labour activist, was arrested in June 2011 and has been detained in Tabriz prison.
• Reza Shahabi, treasurer of the Syndicate of bus workers of Tehran and suburb, has been in custody in the notorious Evin prison for more than one year. He was arrested on 12 June 2010 without a charge. After almost a year on 25  May 2011 he was tried in a court in Tehran on charges of “propaganda against the Islamic State” and “conspiracy against National Security”. However, the prosecution is seeking to bring a fresh charge of “enmity against God” against Shahabi, a charge which carries a death sentence in Iran. Shahabi is still being held in Evin prison in a state of uncertainty. According to the latest news, his health has recently deteriorated.
• Ebrahim Madadi, vice president of the syndicate of Tehran bus workers, has been in prison since 27 December 2008 serving his three and half years prison sentence.
• Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, a member of “The Committee to Pursue the Establishment of Workers’ Organizations”, has been incarcerated in Evin’s division of 350 since June 12, 2010. He has been sentenced to 5 years imprisonment by branch 28 of Tehran revolutionary Court on 12 June 2011.  

 In addition to jailing workers, many labour activists have been sacked from their workplaces. For instance, all members of the executive board of “syndicate of workers of Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Company” have been fired. Also many members of Tehran bus workers’ syndicate have been sacked.

 I (we) condemn the continuous gross attacks on workers’ rights in Iran. I (we) demand the immediate and unconditional freedom of all labour activists and political prisoners and call on the government to respect the right to organize, assemble and freedom of association and expression.  

 Name:

Organization:

Position:

 Send Copy of your Protest Letters to:

info@leader.ir, info@judiciary.ir, dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir; iran@un.int; ijpr@iranjudiciary.org, info@dadiran.ir, office@justice.ir, support@irimlsa.ir; info@humanrights-iran.ir; avaei@Dadgostary-tehran.ir

CC: info@workers-iran.org

 (In support of the strike action called by NUT, UCU, ATL and PCS members)

Long live International solidarity!

 The Conservative Lib-Dem government has been attacking public services since they came into power. They aim to cut services from workers, teachers, nurses and other public sectors and save the bankers and bosses. This government announced war against the working class and we must get together to fight back and defeat them.

 NUT, UCU, ATL and PCS members voted to fight back against government pension scheme reforms. The government attack is against all workers’ rights in UK. All the Trade Unions members must fight back to defeat the Conservative Lib-Dem plans to reform pension schemes.  A general strike by all workers and trade unions is the only way to defend our rights. 

 David Cameron has said to the media that ‘These strikes are wrong’!  That’s because his government wants to attack our lives to support what he calls ‘employees’, in other words, the bankers and bosses.  The government always claims “we are all in this together” and “those with the broadest shoulders will bear the greatest burden” and yet the government ensures that it is ordinary working people who must pay the price for the financial crisis and not the corporations with the broadest shoulders which have caused it.

 The capitalist system worldwide is squeezing the working class in an attempt to recoup their losses from the financial crisis. They are attacking us and we must fight back. The solidarity of workers, teachers and nurses all around the world will make us stronger to fight back for our rights.

 We strongly support the strike action called by NUT, UCU, ATL and PCS members and condemn the Conservative – Lib-Dem’s inhumane decision on public pension scheme reforms.

Solidarity with the Iranian People’s Struggle (SWIPS)

International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran-UK

30/06/11

Location: ILO Headquarters, Place des Nations

Geneva- Switzerland
Join June 9th day of action in support of workers’ rights and struggles in Iran

 A Call by CGT, FSU, Solidaires and UNSA and supported by UNIA and CGAS 

Endorsed by: International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran

         cid:image005.jpg@01CC23D0.DE2A5DF0       cid:image006.jpg@01CC23D0.DE2A5DF0       

Paris, May 27, 2011

Support for trade-union freedoms in IRAN

In solidarity with the imprisoned Iranian trade unionists, the French trade unions call for a gathering in front of the head office of ILO in Geneva on June 9.

The repressive measures against Iranian trade-union activists this  May 1st and the arrest of labour activists in Kurdistan constitutes violations of the basic rights.

We French trade unions, along with the international labour-union movement, express our solidarity towards the Iranian women and men who, in spite of the risks which the trade-union activity in Iran involves, engaged in the struggles in favour of defence of the workers.

We think of all the activists who have been imprisoned in the recent years and months, because they wanted to exert their basic right which is to undertake a trade-union activity. This combat is worth admiration and respect, for them and their families which support them.

More than ever, it is necessary to take with the word the countries which ratify on paper conventions of ILO and which actually ridicules them in reality. It is the case of Iran.

It rests with the trade-union organizations in the world to affirm their solidarity and to implement the means of which they lay out to put an end to repression against the Iranian workers who want to create independent trade-union organizations.

For this reason we call for a gathering on June 9, 2011 in Geneva in front of the headquarter of the ILO at the time of its annual conference

June 9, 2011 starting from 11h Place of the Nations in Geneva

Contacts members of French trade union collective
CGT: Jean-François Courbe jf.courbe cgt.fr @ + 33 6 76 49 00 17
FSU: Corinne Vialle corinne.vialle snuipp.fr @ + 33 6 09 80 46 04
Solidarity: Alain Baron contact@solidaires.org + 33 (0) 1 58 39 30 20
UNSA: Said Darwan darwane@unsa.org + 33 6 71 85 16 65
Paris, le 27 mai 2011

Soutien aux libertés syndicales en IRAN

En solidarité avec les syndicalistes iraniens emprisonnés, les syndicats français appellent à un rassemblement devant le siège de l’OIT à Genève le 9 juin.

 
Les mesures de répression à l’encontre des militants syndicaux iraniens ce 1er mai et l’arrestation de militants syndicaux au Kurdistan constituent des violations des droits fondamentaux.

Nous syndicats français, avec le mouvement syndical international nous exprimons notre solidarité envers les femmes et les hommes iraniens qui, malgré les risques que comporte l’activité syndicale en Iran, se sont engagés dans le combat en faveur de la défense des travailleurs.

Nous pensons à tous les militants emprisonnés depuis des mois et des années, coupables d’avoir exercé le droit fondamental qu’est de mener une activité syndicale. Ce combat vaut admiration et respect, pour eux et leurs familles qui les soutiennent.

Plus que jamais, il faut prendre au mot les pays qui ratifient sur le papier les conventions de l’OIT et qui en réalité les bafouent dans la réalité. C’est le cas de l’Iran.

Il appartient aux organisations syndicales dans le monde d’affirmer leur solidarité et de mettre en œuvre les moyens dont elles disposent pour faire cesser la répression à l’encontre des travailleurs iraniens qui veulent créer des organisations syndicales indépendantes.

C’est pour cette raison que nous appelons à un rassemblement le 9 juin 2011 à Genève devant le siège de l’OIT à l’occasion de sa conférence annuelle.

9 Juin 2011 à partir de 11h Place des Nations à Genève

 Contacts des membres du collectif syndical français

CGT : Jean-François Courbe jf.courbe@cgt.fr + 33 6 76 49 00 17

FSU : Corinne Vialle corinne.vialle@snuipp.fr + 33 6 09 80 46 04

Solidaires : Alain Baron contact@solidaires.org + 33 (0) 1 58 39 30 20

UNSA : Saïd Darwane darwane@unsa.org  + 33 6 71 85 16 65

9 juin 2011 à partir de 11h Place des Nations à Genève

Soutien aux libertés syndicales en IRAN

mercredi 1er juin 2011 par Claude REYMOND

Le mouvement syndical genevois fait d’autant plus volontiers écho aux collègues français que le respect des droits fondamentaux n’a guère progressé en Iran malgré les légitimes exigences à cet égard exprimées publiquement depuis des années…

En solidarité avec les syndicalistes iraniens emprisonnés, les syndicats français appellent à un rassemblement devant le siège de l’OIT à Genève le 9 juin.

Les mesures de répression à l’encontre des militants syndicaux iraniens ce 1er mai et l’arrestation de militants syndicaux au Kurdistan constituent des violations des droits fondamentaux.

Nous syndicats français, avec le mouvement syndical international nous exprimons notre solidarité envers les femmes et les hommes iraniens qui, malgré les risques que comporte l’activité syndicale en Iran, se sont engagés dans le combat en faveur de la défense des travailleurs.

Nous pensons à tous les militants emprisonnés depuis des mois et des années, coupables d’avoir exercé le droit fondamental qu’est de mener une activité syndicale. Ce combat vaut admiration et respect, pour eux et leurs familles qui les soutiennent.

Plus que jamais, il faut prendre au mot les pays qui ratifient sur le papier les conventions de l’OIT et qui en réalité les bafouent dans la réalité. C’est le cas de l’Iran.

Il appartient aux organisations syndicales dans le monde d’affirmer leur solidarité et de mettre en œuvre les moyens dont elles disposent pour faire cesser la répression à l’encontre des travailleurs iraniens qui veulent créer des organisations syndicales indépendantes.

C’est pour cette raison que nous appelons à un rassemblement le 9 juin 2011 à Genève devant le siège de l’OIT à l’occasion de sa conférence annuelle.

Click here: CGAS-Geneva: labour movement in Geneva in support of June 9th action called by French trade unions

French and Swiss trade unions call for a demonstration in support of workers in Iran

When: Thursday June 9, 2011, 11 am

Location: ILO Headquarters, Place des Nations

Geneva- Switzerland

Four French Trade Union federations, CGT, FSU, Solidaires and UNSA have released a joint statement (see below) in support of the workers activists currently jailed in Iran.  Condemning the attacks on workers’ basic rights, they will demonstrate outside the headquarters of the International Labour Organization, ILO, on June 9th 2011, whilst its annual conference is underway.  This call out has since seen been supported by two Swiss trade unions, UNIA and CGAS.

The International Labour Conference is held every year and delegates representing governments, employers and workers from 183 countries gather to discuss matters relating to work and labour standards within a framework of ILO Conventions.  The delegates from the Islamic Regime of Iran also will participate. The entire delegates from Iran are made of the mercenaries of the Iranian government.  Those so-called “worker’s representatives” among Iranian delegates are representatives of government-sponsored organizations like the “Islamic Councils” and “Workers’ house”, which have a direct role in the suppression of the labour activists and workers’ struggles in Iran.

With respect to the fact that in previous years complaints have been launched with the ILO against the Islamic Republic of Iran’s violation of workers’ rights, it is important to note that this regime spins obvious lies, in attempts to create a false picture of the situation of workers in Iran.  With these empty and unfounded positions it seeks, like many other repressive regimes, to hide its essentially oppressive and anti-workers and pro capitalist aims and practices. Moreover, it is unacceptable that representatives of the Iranian regime are chairing ILO’s Committee on Employment and Social policy and sitting at the ILO’s Governing Body as deputy members.

The right to set up independent workers organizations by the workers themselves, the right of workers to collective bargaining, a proper wage paid on time, the right to a discrimination-free workplace and employment and the banning of child labour are foundational rights of working people. These rights also have been clearly stipulated in ILO conventions and agreed upon by all ILO member countries.  Yet the Islamic regime has a long and dark history of violating these rights.  Whilst the regime takes part in this conference, workers’ activists remain in Iranian jails for the “crime” of seeking to build independent workers organizations.  The right of Iranian workers to hold collective bargaining is trampled underfoot.  Workers’ wage has fallen to one third of the poverty line and, in many cases, workers have not been paid for months and in some cases for years.  Discrimination based on gender, religion and nationality and against Afghan workers is widespread in the workplaces and society at large.  Child labour and the exploitation of children is normal practice.  All these are just a few examples of the way the regime rides roughshod over the basic and foundational rights of working Iranians.

  The revealing of the anti-worker and inhuman essence of this reactionary regime and the defence of basic rights for Iranian workers is not only the duty of Iranian labour activists, but it is also a struggle to which workers’ activists around the world and international labour organizations can play an important and indeed fundamental role.

The demonstration organised by French trade unions, on June 9th 2011, in defence of worker’s rights in Iran and imprisoned labour activists, shows once more that Iranian workers are not alone.

We consider international solidarity amongst workers to be our key priority.  We wholeheartedly support and will take part in this important solidarity demonstration.  We invite all labour activists and organizations and progressive parties, along with all those who strive for freedom, to take part in this demonstration if they can, and to support the working class and activists in Iran. Let’s expose the inhuman and anti-worker and oppressive essence of the capitalist Islamic regime of Iran to the world.

Long live international workers’ Solidarity

International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran – May 30, 2011

info@workers-iran.org

http://www.ethadbinalmelali.com

A solidarity message from Mahmoud Salehi to French Trade Union federations, CGT, FSU, Solidaires and UNSA

Dear friends,
We were informed that you have organized a protest rally in front of ILO on June 9th, 2011 in defence of workers’ self-initiated formations (independent organizations) in Iran. We Iranian workers as a battalion of the International army of the Proletariat and its activists, honour and thank you for this internationalist initiative.

As you had mentioned, during the International Day of Workers, tens of workers throughout different cities in Iran and Kurdistan,  were summoned by the security forces, only because of their participation in May 1st celebrations and protests; some were incarcerated, later freed with heavy bails, only released until further notice and awaiting further prosecution and incarceration. You all know that right now in Iran tens of workers are in jail or prosecuted solely because of their defence of workers’ rights, or been forced to leave the country, into a forced exile.
 
We, Iranian workers, were greatly pleased when we heard that French workers’ organizations, in an unprecedented action, have formed a collective in support of workers’ struggles in Maghreb and Middle East to defend the workers who have no right to organize freely.

Friends and fellow workers;

The Capitalist order creates ever new methods and organizations to further exploit, and benefit, from us. We will emerge victorious from these struggles if we are able to organize our actions by means of class unity and solidarity with no illusions about capitalist powers and their organizations.
Once again I thank all members and officers of the French workers’ organizations in support of workers in Maghreb and Middle East for their demonstration in front of ILO, and shake your hands. Hoping that we can use the bourgeoisie’s forum to ensure our fellow workers hear our voices without becoming a voice of the bourgeoisie.

Best wishes,

Mahmoud Salehi

The Coordinating Committee To Help Form Workers’ Organization

Supports Workers’ demonstration in Geneva

Following great pressures by the Iranian government on workers and labor activists and members of independent organizations of workers of Iran, the trade unions of France with support from other labor organizations, called for a rally on June 9, 2011 at the ILO headquarters in Geneva.

This call, which has been made by five French trade union federations, the CGT, FSU, Solidaires, UNSA and CFDT, , is supported by the “International Alliance in Support of workers in Iran,” “Socialist solidarity of workers in Iran – Paris”, and Swiss trade unions UNIA and CGAS and other organizations and personalities.
The workers in Iran are being persecuted by police, fired or jailed for their activities including holding the celebration on May 1st and any type of activities related to creating or promoting independent organizations of workers. Only for the next two months, 16 separate trials have been arranged against members of the Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations. A number of other Committee members are charged under various pretexts by the intelligence and security forces. On and about May 1st, some activists of the Committee were arrested in Sanandaj and Saghez (Kurdistan), which were later released with large sums of bond: Mahmoud Salehi, Yadullah Ghotbi, Afshin Nadimi, Vafa Ghaderi Khaled Hosseini Sedigh Sobhani, Ghaleb Hosseini, Yadullah Samadi, Kiomars Ghaderi, Habibollah Kale-Kani, Erfan Naderi, Kaveh Bahrami, Jamal Govili, Vahed Khani, Fayegh Sobhani, Keyvan Sobhani, and Zahir Razavi are members of the Coordinating Committee pursued by the judicial and intelligence authorities in recent months and a number of them were incarcerated as well.

A number of activists from other labor organizations such as Reza Shahabi, Ali Nejati, Manour Osanloo, Ebrahim Madadi, Gholamreza Gholamhosseini, Behnam Ebrahimzadeh and education workers involved with teachers’ associations such as, Hashem Khastar, Rasoul Badaghi, etc.. are in prison, dismissed or were subjected to trial.
The organizations calling for the protest rally against the Iranian government in Geneva have called on workers to join in this appeal challenging the Iranian government’s pressure on workers and thus express their international solidarity with their fellow workers in Iran.

The International Labour Organization, due to its tripartite nature (State, employers and workers’ representatives) is reflective of the interests of the capitalists. The Iranian government and its spurious, sham and imposed  representatives (from Workers’ House and the Islamic Labour Councils) are participating every year at the annual International Labour Conference. Each time, they attempt to deceive the public and participants of the conference by claiming that in Iran there is no repression against workers and their organizing efforts; however, as we have shown, and that is only a small aspect of the existing repression in Iran, their claim is absolutely false.
The Coordinating Committee To Help Form Workers’ Organizations welcomes the initiative of the French unions and other organizations and personalities, and greatly appreciate and thank the workers who participate in this demonstration. We see ourselves as partners in this protest action. We hope that this initiative is the beginning of stronger actions to express workers’ solidarity against repression of the capital and the Iranian government against the workers in Iran. We look forward to seeing members of the fellow labor organizations to become even more involved in strengthening workers’ international solidarity and unity.

One again, while we support and admire workers, activists and organizations participating in June 9th day of action in Geneva, we are convinced that the emancipation of the world’s working class is in the development of unity and solidarity amongst self-organized and independent workers’ organizations, while simultaneously avoiding the approaches and prescriptions given by global forces and organizations that seek to impose compromises and concessions on workers.
The Coordinating Committee To Help Form Workers’ Organizations

June 4, 2011

Call To Action

Protest Against Islamic Republic of Iran

Thursday June 9, 2011

In front of International Labor Organization (ILO)

To the freedom lovers, social justice and political activists, supporters and members of labor movement:

As you are aware the ILO, proceeds its annual meeting in Geneva this June.  At these meetings relations and implementation of labor laws in different countries are being discussed and argued amongst representatives of governments, employers and labors. Given today’s world situation, often the rights of workers are trampled, and as usual the oppressed and workers of Iran have no voice to convey their side at these summits.  The anti-worker and anti-people Islamic Republic of Iran as usual herds its own handpicked representatives to these summits and shamelessly walls off all protests and accusations of ongoing abuses of employees and workers, whit outmost disregards of compliance with protocols of The International Labor Organization with farce and false promises. The Islamic Republic of Iran needs the approval of ILO to join the World Trade Organization (in order to get in to the free!!! global market to gain more profit for the distinguished!!! merchants and greater theft of peoples wealth).

The denunciation by oppressed and workers of Iran, the exposing letters of protests by independent representatives of Iranian labor organizations who have been brutally repressed by the regime and are either in prison or in exile, the solidarity of international unions with Iranian workers, sustained protests by Iranian labor, political and social activists abroad have been able to expose the oppressive, predatory and the inhumane government of the Islamic Republic and have been very effective to keep this regime away from achieving its inhumane goals; these protests must continue.

The 2011, the centennial meeting of ILO will be held in Geneva, in June.  The French syndicates have taken a progressive and internationalist solidarity action in support of labor movement, the unity of action in France by  “The collective in solidarity with workers of Maghreb and the Middle East”. This collective has issued a call to all political, labor and social activists to participate on June 9th in solidarity with the workers and oppressed of Iran. We warmly welcome this call and in our part have acquired necessary permits for this gathering.

Hereby we invite all parties, organizations, groups, and labor activists to participate in this demonstration on June 9th, 2011.

Down with world capitalism!

Down with capitalist regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran!

Victory to the workers and toilers (oppressed) of Iran in their struggle to achieve freedom and social Justice!

Long Live International Solidarity for Justice, Peace and Freedom!

International Alliance in Support of Workers of Iran- Switzerland Division

When: Thursday June 9, 2011 from 11 am

Location: Place des Nations

1202 Geneva- Switzerland

Contact:

kargar1357@hotmail.com

info@workers-iran.org

Sites: http://jonbeshdartabeed.blogspot.com

http://www.etehadbinalmelali.com
Mansour Osanloo released on conditional bail

According to a number of sources, including the ITF report and the syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Vahed Company’s statement, Mansour Osanloo, the president of the board of directors of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Vahed Bus Company, was released on bail on June 2, 2011 after about four years of unjust imprisonment. The IASWI issued a statement in Farsi on the same day*; however, since the current newsletter is a special edition focusing on the June 9th day of action, we will issue a separate statement on June 7, 2011 in English about Osanloo’s conditional release. By then, we’ll be able to provide more detailed and up-to-date information about Osanloo’s conditional discharge and his present situation.
We are extremely happy and excited about Osanloo’s release and warmly congratulate his esteemed family and all fellow workers in Iran and around the world; nevertheless, we need to continue to pressure (and demand) for Osanloo’s unconditional and absolute freedom.
 

*IASWI statement in Farsi: http://www.etehadbinalmelali.com/HTML_11/1_6_11/osanlou.htm

 
Photo source: http://www.global-unions.org/liberez-mansour-osanloo.html?lang=en

On the first of May the sound of the passion and militancy of workers in their millions, their demonstrations for freedom across great swathes of the world, reaches and inspires the workers of Iran who fight for their social rights and organizations amongst the harshest oppressions and threats; to their lives and livelihoods.  Any kind of workers demonstration or demand for justice is met with detention and prison, in line with the methods of the capitalist ruling class, with the backing of the international organizations of capitalism, whilst they oppress workers and ruin their families, no one has the right to give a free opinion on this matter. Whilst they increase the price of petrol, energy and fuel, close factories, add thousands of workers to the unemployment lines, fiddle unemployment insurance against the workers interests, hurt the social interests of workers by taking steps to shut hospitals and medical centres, dream up new schemes of retirement to make us work longer and raise the price of basic goods to dizzying levels, they cut workers wages by an average of nine percent.

In our view these actions will cause nothing but poverty and misery for millions of working class families.  We will not accept this destruction of us, our spouses and children that we are forced to witness.  We will stand united and struggle against the immiseration and deepening poverty that is imposed on us and our reduction to a group without social rights.  Thus, we, workers in Iran, denounce the existing conditions and call on all workers all over the country, to set out the following demands, with unity and without hesitation:

   1. The unconditional freedom to found independent worker’s organizations, strike, demonstrate, march, freedom for political parties, freedom of speech as our inalienable rights.  All oppressive governmental organizations in places for living and working should be removed, and these rights should be officially recognized as the unchangeable rights of the workers, and the masses of people in Iran.
   2. We will not accept a society in which wealth and capital are in the hands of a minority whilst the majority must struggle to find a loaf of bread for their evening meal.  A 9% minimum wage decrease, whilst huge price rises go on, is an insult to the idea of human dignity and justice for workers.  We see this as the creation of misery and poverty for millions of working class families and struggle with genuine worker’s representatives to fight for the highest standards of modern living.
   3. We demand an end to temporary contracts and signed blanked contracts. We demand the overturning of existing subcontracting companies.  We demand the right to transparent  collective bargaining and agreements and the highest standards of health and safety in the work place.
   4. All outstanding wages should be paid in full, without excuse or delay and workers should be compensated for all damages arising from their non payment of wages.
   5. Sackings and unemployment, by any excuse, must cease and all workers, upon reaching working age, should be paid unemployment insurance based on a human living standard.
   6. With attention to the fact that the organization of social security has become one of Iran’s richest institutions on the back of workers’ wages and contributions, yet this organization has become trapped in the capitalist logic accumulation of profit, merely trying to reduced medical benefits and charging workers for services. Social security insurances are fundamental rights of all people and we call for it to be run by elected representatives of the workers, all over the country.
   7. Whilst condemning the attacks on workers and popular demonstrations we call for the nullification of the death sentence and the immediate and unconditional release of imprisoned workers and activists of other social movements.  We call for an end to prosecution of these activists and the security environment.
   8. We call for the annulment of all laws that discriminate against women and call for their complete and unconditional equality with men in political, legal, social, economic, cultural and family life.
   9. We call for all retired people to have a life free from poverty and economic worry.  We call for all pensions to be paid immediately and without discrimination and for pensioners to receive all necessary social and health services.
  10. All child labour must cease.  Educational and health necessities must be provided freely the same for all children and their families, independently of the economic and social realities of their families, and regardless of their gender, ethnicity, nationality or religion should not become poisons.
  11. We consider the desire for social change a fundamental right of all human beings all over the world.  We support the popular protests and struggles all across the Middle East and condemn any attempts by governments and rulers to sneak through change from above to counter act them.  We condemn any attempt to crush popular demonstrations and any attempt to interfere in the people’s struggles in countries of the Middle East.
  12. We are a section of the workers of the world and condemn any discrimination against migrant Afghan workers in Iran, or workers of any other nationality, on any excuse.
  13. We appreciate the solidarity shown to Iranian workers from the international workers and popular movements and stand in support of them, united with them in their demands all around the world, and call, now more than ever, for international workers unity for freedom from the capitalist system’s miseries.
  14. The first of May should become an official national holiday, noted in official calendar.  All limitations and bans on the commemoration of this day should be lifted.

Long Live the First of May!

Long Live International Worker’s Solidarity!

The Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Vahed Bus Company

- The Free Union of Workers in Iran

- The Founding Committee of the Syndicate of Building ‘s Painters and Decoration’s  Workers

- The Committee for the Refoundation of Metal and Mechanical Workers’ Syndicate

- The Centre in Defence of Workers’ Rights

- The Committee to Pursue the Establishment of Workers’ Organizations

- The Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations

Translated by IASWI. Original resolution in Farsi: http://www.etehadbinalmelali.com/HTML_11/27_4_11/ghatnameh.htm
 

International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran

Statement on May Day 2011

In the outset of 21st century, with May Day 2011 around the corner, the world is still in the hands of a few, and their circles shrinking by the day. Accelerated process of attack towards Labour and Human Rights in advanced capitalist countries from ideological attacks on Humane and Socialist ideals to augmenting ultra reactionary, radical religious, ethnic ideas, has only increased, and has been a part of the recent history of the world community.

Workers and Freedom loving individuals have not kept quite in this regard. Particularly in the year that just passed people of the globe from France, Spain, Greece, U.S., Tunisia, Egypt, Iran,… arose to confront this issue.

In Iran and by the presence of the Islamic regime the situation of workers is truly intolerable. While Iranian officials have announced the inflation rate to be more that 22 percent, according to independent workers organizations the price of necessary items such as meat, eggs, cooking oil, rice and sugar has experienced a 50 to 120 percent increase in the year. Based on international standards the wage of an average Iranian worker is 4 times below the poverty line. Not only that, the removal of subsides and lack of timely payment of wages as well as temporary work contracts have joined hands to put added pressure on Iranian workers.

However, the workers of Iran have started this year in a proactive note, determined and focused. Immediately following the Norouz Holidays, about three thousand contract workers went on strike, and announced they are no longer willing to be slaved. The recent victory in Mahshahr Petrochemical Complex and the strike’s success in a move to eliminate contract work and subcontracting companies, is a pattern that shall be continued. This strike remains a strike to both support and learn from.

In support of Iranian workers, IASWI strongly condemns the government and employer’s attack on worker’s livelihood and actively supports their demands and campaigns. The most urgent demands of workers on the eve of 2011 May Day are as follows:

1) 27 thousand Toman (25 dollar) increase in monthly minimum wage is a clear insult on the worker’s sanctity and dignity and in a way is playing with the lives of millions of people especially children of working class families, as it would put them at risk of various health risks. Workers demand monthly minimum wage to be set based on highest human standards, which is about four times higher than the current 330 thousand toman (about $275.00) as well as the ability to determine the minimum wage through real representatives and independent labour organizations.

2) Iranian workers viewed subsidies as inadequate, however workers see the removal of subsidies by the government an offensive towards their livelihood and demand an immediate end to these cut backs, which is carried out by the IRI under “the targeted subsidy plan”.

3) Iranian workers demand the immediate closure of all contract agencies and dismissal of all temporary and open contracts and replacing them with secure employment and punishment of all employers whom have been taking cheques and promissory notes as accrual from workers.

4) Iranian workers demand immediate and full payment of their back wages as well as in time and full payment of all their wages and benefits. Lack of timely payment must be deemed as a crime and be prosecutable by judiciary officials and the worker must be paid compensation as the result.

5) Iranian workers demand safe working environment in accordance with internationally recognized standards and demand criminal prosecution of employers who are violating this commitment.

6) Iranian workers demanded full and unconditional freedom in the right to form independent workers’ organizations and to strike. Also all suppressing governmental organizations such as security forces, Workers’ House and the Islamic Councils must be dismissed from work places to allow workers to form their own organizations without interferences by any government authorities.

7) Iranian workers demanded full and unconditional freedom of expression, publication, press, assemblies, and demonstrations.

8) Iranian workers demand the immediate and unconditional release of all imprisoned workers and labour activists, including Mansour Osanloo, Ebrahim Madadi, Reza Shahabi, Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, and stop any dismissal, persecution and prosecution of labour activists.

9) Iranian workers demand an end to gender discrimination and oppression and abolishment of all laws and regulations against women in all facets of life and consider realization of equal and humane right between man and women a basic demand of the Working class.

10) Immigrant workers, especially Afghan workers, are under exceeded oppression and complete exploitation of their rights. Iranian workers demand an end to discrimination against immigrant workers and call for punishment of violating employers and institutions.

11) Thousands of children in Iran are working under slavery-like conditions. Iranian workers demand an end to Child Labour and call for full support of these children concerning their education, shelter, health, appropriate nutrition and a decent life altogether.

12) Dismissal and unemployment of workers by any excuse must be stopped and all dismissed workers and those whom have reached the employment age must be entitled to unemployment benefits until they find suitable job.

13) All forms of discrimination based on nationality, language, religion, and gender discrimination are the capitalist regime’s ways of causing division amongst people and is at the expense of solidarity among workers. Iranian workers demand equal and human rights among all residents of this country

14) Iranian workers call for an end to intimidation, threats, arrest and torture of activists in different social movements and demand unconditional release of all political prisoners.

15) Iranian workers demand the unconditional abolishment of all types of the abhorrent and extremely inhumane and reactionary capital punishment.

16) Iranian workers view themselves as a part of the International Working Class, and support all struggles of  the working class throughout the world particularly recent movements for social justice, equality and freedom in North Africa and the Middle East.

17) May First must be recognized as the International Workers’ Day and a public holiday and added to the national calendar as an official national holiday and all restrictions on rallies and ceremonies by independent labour organizations must be removed.

International Alliance in Support of Workers of Iran congratulates May Day to all workers around the world and while it supports demands and campaigns of Iranian workers, especially the joint resolution of independent labour organizations in Iran (see attached), on the occasion of May Day 2011, we humbly invite all workers and workers activists in Iran to work towards solidarity and unity irrespective of nationality, gender, race, colour, language, age, opinion and creed.

Long live May Day!

Long live international solidarity of workers!

International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI)
 

Behzad Kazemi

Long-time IASWI Activist Dies At 57

The news is very painful and heartbreaking: our beloved comrade and colleague Behzad Kazemi (Alireza) has passed away. On Sunday, April 10, 2011, Behzad was hospitalized in London after what seemed to be a brain stroke. Though Doctors’ initial diagnosis was a Brain Stroke, later on they said it was a case of Meningitis, and the infection has spread to his entire brain, causing it to stop functioning completely. On Friday afternoon 22 April 2011, while being visited in the hospital by his partner and friends and comrades, Behzad Kazemi passed away. He was 57.

Behzad Kazemi was an informed labour and socialist activist, indefatigable in his quests, organizing various projects. He was simultaneously involved in many campaigns, always worked to the best of his abilities and at times went beyond what his ailing body could permit. Behzad was an integral part and participant in IASWI for many years, and played an outstanding role in campaigns and activities in support of workers in Iran. He and some other comrades also created a Socialist Journal of Research (in Persian) called “Saamaan No,” which has been regularly published for the past three years. He was also a founder and a coordinator of the invaluable “Socialists’ Unity” Pal-talk.

His loss has profoundly saddened all of us. We know there are hundreds of others in different countries that share our grief and pain. We pay condolences to Behzad’s partner, Eva, to all his fellow labour and socialist activists, and all his friends and relatives.

His memory will always be with us, his path shall have many travellers.

Memorial information will be provided later on. For further information please contact: ettehad_ma@yahoo.co.uk

Click here: Link to sympathy messages from labour and progressive organizations/activists from Iran and abroad

International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI)

info@workers-iran.org

A report on “the fifth general assembly of

The Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations

 The fifth general assembly of the Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations was carried out in April, 2011. First of all, the participants selected new executive committee and afterward a few subjects were chosen for debating in that meeting. 

The participators addressed the following issues:

1-      The former executive committee’s report

2-      Report of the inspectors of the fourth general assembly

3-      Report of the director of financial affairs

4-     Amendments to the constitution

5-      Elections

6-      Adopted decisions

Below are highlights of the executive committee’s report to annual general assembly:

Dear coordinating committee’s members, friends and honourable guests!

Today, we’re seeing this reality that the capitalist system has been facing a severe economic, political and social crisis. Today, unemployment, poverty, addiction, corruption, terrorism, war, petrifaction, injustice, and more disasters have been expended around the world. That which is too clear, the capitalist states never can solve these problems of the human societies or change this difficult condition because all of them are heedless and incapable.

The executive committee’ report also declares: “We support oppressed people of the North Africa and the Middle East. We defend struggles and uprisings of the working class and the oppressed of the region.”   

The executive committee’ report emphasizes that when the coordinating committee to help form workers’ organization entered a new term of its activities, all of us saw that the Iranian labour movement was still fighting against capitalists and their defenders to goal of reaching its demands. In this period, we saw how the Iranian labours’ strikes and protests were met the government’s attacks, and how many of labour activists were arrested and persecuted by the ruling capitalist establishment. As well, we saw that a number of the coordinating committee’s members were prosecuted and put in jail in the past months.

From the beginning, the coordinating committee’s plan of practice was emphasized on inserted aims of the constitution. The Coordinating Committee paid more attention on its activities for forming workers’ organizations and ensuring that labour organizing becomes a priority of all members of the coordinating Committee. For this reason, is operations and activities were on the basis of the coordinating committee’s main focus inside the Iranian labour movement.”

·        The coordinating committee has done the following activities in the past two years: Active involvement and disseminating information on labour actions and protests. Reporting on arrests and imprisonment of labour activists

·        Active involvement in the fundraising campaigns in support of arrested the imprisoned members of Haft Tapeh Workers’ Syndicate.

·        Organizing outings in support of jailed workers, which unfortunately ended up with the arrests of a number of participants but raised solidarity Morale.

·        Participating at the international labour day of the 2010, and issuing a joint statement with other independent labour formations.

·        Issuing many statements and position papers on various issues affecting working class, including wages and wage arrears, subsidies, solidarity and so on.

·        The coordinating committee has been refocusing its websites on key workers’ issues and struggles.

·        In this period, we have been trying to increase knowledge of this committee’s members about its goal and objectives as an independent open organization.

·        According to the fourth general assembly’s decision, we asked the ministry of labor to register the coordinating committee. This request was failed, and we wrote a protest letter to the Ministry and filed a complaint with the ILO.  

·        The coordinating committee issued a statement for the international woman day in March 2011 which was used by its members as a frame of reference in their related activities.
 
An open letter to WFTU: Stop collaborations with the Workers’ House of the IRI

We are writing this open letter to once again strongly condemn the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) leadership’s collaboration and close relationship with the Workers’ House of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and its Islamic Labour Councils, which are both notoriously known to be government-sponsored repressive organizations.

We have been informed that representatives of the Workers’ House of the Islamic Republic of Iran have been invited to attend the WFTU’s 16th World Trade Union Congress, Athens Greece, April 6-10, 2011. This will be considered a big slap in the face of the Iranian labour movement and independent workers’ organizations in Iran and their activists who are being incessantly persecuted and imprisoned while Workers’ House’s representatives are walking freely and travelling abroad with the full-backing of the capitalist Islamic regime of Iran. The WFTU leadership must stop this disgraceful practice immediately. The working class of Iran will never forget the collaboration of the WFTU leadership with the Iranian government and their agents at the Workers’ House.

We wrote the open letter attached below to the WFTU in October 2007 and since then we have been sending news and campaigns about workers’ rights and struggles in Iran and on the plight of Iranian labour activists who are imprisoned, sacked and persecuted to many of WFTU affiliates and its headquarters as well. We, among many other progressive labour organizations in Iran and abroad, have been issuing numerous statements about the Workers’ House’ anti-worker/ pro-regime character.  We strongly believe that there are no more excuses for the WFTU leadership to continue their collaboration and friendly relationship with the Workers’ House. Unfortunately, the WFTU’s leadership has decided to disregard our letters and also the protests of other Iranian labour activists against their collaborations with the Workers’ House of the brutal and anti-worker regime in Iran.

We once again assert that labour gatherings and congresses must be places for the real and genuine representatives of workers and not government-sponsored, anti-worker individuals and establishments such as the Workers’ House and its delegates.

We are calling on all affiliates of the WFTU, many of whom have been supporting independent labour movement in Iran despite the official position of the WFTU, to pressure the leadership of the WFTU to severe all their ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran and its so called “Workers’ House”.

Please see the statements below for more information; or contact the following persons:

Mahchid Modjaverian (mahchid@wanadoo.fr)

(CGT-France Transport)

Farid C. Partovi (info@workers-iran.org)

(President, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 4772) ***

cc: WFTU affiliates, and labour, progressive and anti-capitalist organizations in Iran and other countries.

For more background information, click on: Open Letter to the WFTU

International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI)

info@workers-iran.org

http://www.etehadbinalmelali.com

Arrests of union activists in Iran

By Derek Blackadder and Farid C. Partovi

Published by CUPE Global Justice- Spring 2011

http://cupe.ca/updir/Global_Justice_Spring_2011-English-web-march7.pdf

ORGANIZING INDEPENDENT labour organizations in Iran are met with state repression. Last May, teacher Farzad Kamangar was executed after a five minute trial for “endangering national security” and “enmity against God.”

 Being elected to a leadership position in a union guarantees a prison term or dismissal. Activists at the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company are regularly arrested as the government attempts to disrupt their organizing activities. Currently, four members of the union are in jail. Mansour Osanloo and Ebrahim Madadi, president and vice-president, have been in jail for the past three and half years. Meanwhile Reza Shahabi, the union’s treasurer, has been incarcerated since June 2010 without trial and activist Gholamreza Gholamhosseini* has been held incommunicado since November 3, 2010.

 Almost all elected representatives of the Syndicate of Workers of Haft Tapeh Sugarcane Company have been in and out of jail since 2009. These include past president Ali Nejati who spent more than six months in jail and current president Reza Rakhshan who was transferred to Fajr prison in Dezful on January 3, 2011 to serve a six month prison sentence and is charged with spreading lies after he published an article titled “We are all one family.” In addition, Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, a well known labour activist who has been incarcerated since June 2010, has now been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.

 These attacks on labour activists and organizations in Iran are taking place while the government is engaged in massive neo-liberal policies of privatization and subsidy

cutbacks to the most basic needs of the Iranian population.

For more information on workers’ struggles in Iran, you can follow: labourstart.org org and info@workers-iran.org.

* Mr. Gholamreza Gholamhosseini was released on heavy bail conditions on April 27, 2011.

Workers’ struggles continue: in defence of movements for bread and freedom in North Africa and Middle East

Recent months’ workers’ protests throughout the world once again exposed the real nature of the capitalist system and its states throughout the world. Workers and other deprived social sectors fed up with capitalist exploitation and inequality, once again stepped into streets all around the world, challenging the neo-liberal policies and attacks on their rights and freedoms. In Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, Algeria, Bahrain, Syria, Iraq, Iran and other countries in Middle East and North Africa, poverty, unemployment and increasing exploitation has taken away any prospect of an honourable humane life from the workers and their families. Workers have long been dominated by the brutal rulers of capital and deprived of the most basic rights; these workers and deprived populations are now challenging the ruling capitalist regimes in the region.

Without anyone expecting it, the people of Tunisia sparked a revolution, which rapidly reached beyond its borders. Official unemployment rate in Tunisia is 14% and goes up to 20% amongst the youth. In 2010, inflation was at 25% and the actual price of food was much higher than that. Tunisian state, led at the time by Ben Ali for more than 20 years, initially tried to crush the movement but people’s fierce, bare handed resistance in front of armed police proved to be unstoppable. The state was pushed back to the dangerous level of being completely overthrown. People’s insurrection led to Ben Ali’s escape to Saudi Arabia, thus the first act in this revolutionary drama concluded with people’s victory for the moment.

With Ben Ali overthrown, Tunisian ruling class with promises of election in an undetermined future attempted to send the people back home, to provide an opportunity to organize and maintain itself. But sending a people who just had an insurrection was not that easy, since other than Ben Ali’s removal no other major demand was met. The state formed after Ben Ali was composed of all the individuals who were at the center of the power with him. With Ben Ali’s escape the protests ebbed for a while, but on February 29th it began anew, demanding the ouster of Ghanoshi, after his resignation in a week, the movement entered a new level, yet

 
The outstanding and hopeful feature of the revolutionary struggle in Tunisia, which could also be seen in other countries, especially Egypt, is its vibrant anti-capitalist and pro social justice tendency. Neither political Islamic currents nor other Bourgeois factions were able to steal away the leadership of the movement. The slogan, “Work Bread Freedom” has been the central demand since the beginning. Nevertheless, despite the fact that Tunisian workers have had a very significant role in this revolutionary process, they haven’t been able to participate as a class for itself, not merely as individual workers, with their own specific, class-based, set of demands. Tunisian workers yet to establish their own radical autonomous, nation-wide formations. Although the dominant bureaucracy of unions caved in to workers’ pressures and was forced to organize some strikes, it represented Ben Ali’s ouster as the final victory. We all know that the toppling of Ben Ali toppling was a first victory in a hard and long revolution.

 
It should be noted that Tunisian people’s insurrection against dictatorship and misery, also contributed to the rise of Egyptian people. In a very short time span millions of people poured into streets and overthrow Mubarak. Workers’ struggle in Egypt has a long history. In the 20th century, since 1919 unions have led anti-colonial struggles. In 1921, National Federation of Egyptian Workers was composed of 90 unions. It was active for 5 years until it was banned by the government. In 1949 workers in Sues Canal boycotted a Dutch ship in solidarity with Indonesian workers. Unions distributed anti-colonial pamphlets, and despite British and French pressures prevented the Dutch ship from passing through the canal. From 1940 to 1950 more than 500 workers’ formation were created in response to Capitalist colonial conditions imposed on workers. During Nasser’s rule from 1956-1970 the workers initially supported his regime, but when workers were executed, his support diminished.

Mubarak’s era was the height of repression against workers. Strikes from 1980 to 1990 were followed by massacre of Steel workers, and arrest and torture of labour activists. Textile workers’ strikes of 1994 and 2008 were the highlights of this period. These strikes were organized despite the totally dependent leadership of the unions at the time. Although these strikes were not successful at the time they provide the basis for future actions, the movement known as the April 6th originates from the 2008 strike. In the past three years strikes in Egypt have been a daily occurrence. More than 40% of Egyptians live on 2.00 dollars a day.
Mubarak is out, but the struggle is not over yet. Could workers put their stamp on this revolution? The military council in power after Mubarak has promised to organize an election of the reformed constitution, through a committee created by the military. This is an empty promise which leaves workers short of their core demands. The army’s repression of people in recent weeks and persecution and prosecution of activists are seriously alarming.  However, the continuation of strikes and actions is an expression of the revolution’s continuity.

 
The destiny of these movements and freedom and justice seeking revolutions more than anything else depends on what role the workers in Egypt, Tunisia and other countries will play. If workers organize their own organizations in their factories and neighbourhoods, create their own political platform and charter, as opposed to other alternatives, and build their political own organization, then there is hope that they could inflict the final blow and capture political power.

 
The movements currently under way in the region are primarily justice seeking, these are movements for Bread, Freedom, and Human Dignity; they are challenging the neoliberal, austerity measure capitalist policies and repressive regimes that have been implementing these polices. In one part of the world the hungry have risen up for freedom and social justice which has the potential of overthrowing the capital’s rule. This is a fire whose flames could reach much further, portending workers’ emancipation from the exploitation, repression, insecurity, war, and poverty under the yolk of capital and its rulers throughout the world.

 
Workers in Iran have been closely following the struggles of the working class and freedom-seeking people of North Africa and Middle East. Workers in Iran stand in solidarity with their movements. In their May Day 2011 joint resolution of independent workers’ organizations in Iran, they strongly supported people’s struggles for freedom and justice in the region while denouncing top-down manipulation and interferences by any states or powers to undermine and derail popular movements.
 

We are hopeful that our colleagues and fellow workers in the region draw lessons from the Iranian Revolution of 1979, and the ensuing 32 years of freedom-seeking, liberation-seeking struggle against the repressive capitalist regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Our plight under the Islamic Republic of Iran is a tragic example that our neighbours and comrades can draw on; thus, they hopefully never allow any autocratic and capitalist forces, their parties or their personalities, under any pretext, continue the exploitation and oppression of people by force or empty promises. The current legitimate struggles of workers and oppressed people shall be pursued until annihilation of the exploitative and repressive forces and capitalist orders in the whole region. Without a doubt, Iranian working class, and freedom-seeking people of Iran, will be learning many lessons from the struggles in the rest of Middles East and North Africa.

Workers’ struggles continue

Long live international solidarity

International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI)

info@workers-iran.org / www.workers-iran.org

April 2011
A RadioLabour interview with: Farid C. Partovi, International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran:

Click here: Renewed protests in Iran after the Egyptian revolution

Click here: Jailed union activists 
 

Free Madadi, Osanloo, Shahabi and Ebrahimzadeh

This is how capitalist systems plunder and foray the working class through various directions; from one side, to resolve their own economical crisis they sell out their stashed properties and their military armaments through creating war situation and, use some of that through military invasions in other countries like Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya to empty out their stash and through further production of weapons heal up their sickened capitalist economy a bit.  From this other side they destroy the infrastructure of the invaded nations and after destructions as they have occurred in Iraq Afghanistan, their latter economical foray and plundering gets the name of reconstruction and giveaway the contracts to their affiliated companies; in the meanwhile they create greatest terrorizing conditions through indirect means and then another form plundering and forays are imposed under the title of contracting with private corporations to establish security and stability for society through their own agents.  That is why that while they make a lot of profit in destroying countries but thence they make hundreds of times more profit through reconstruction of those ruined nations, making them hundred percent dependent upon them and, through all this they take over controlling the oil in Libya and the Persian Gulf countries thoroughly.

 Stop all attacks & transgression to Libya

 Close all Military Bases of U.S.A. in all countries of the world

 Rise in unity to support all revolutionary upheavals of all the peoples of the world

 Saudi forces should leave Bahrain immediately

 Group of Iranian Refugees in Turkey

March 21^st, 2011

Iranian people have rejected the whole Islamic regime many years ago.  Thirty  two years of Islamic rule in Iran has proved that various factions of this regime are anti-people and undemocratic, and have the blood of freedom and justice seeking people on their hands. The Islamic Republic couldn’t and won’t  attempt to make any reform either. In contrary, it continues with exploitation of working people, and  violation of human rights and repression of any demands for democratic freedom and social justice justified under “national security”. This repressive and inhumane policy is taking place at the same time that the regime has ratified and is a signatory to the  “International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights”. However, the year 2010 has seen numerous  political prisoners being executed  on false charges without having access to a lawyer or a fair trail.

5 Kurdish political and human rights activists were executed on 9 May 2010  followed by further death penalties.

Tens of thousands of intellectuals, workers, students’ and women activists and even ethnic and religions minorities died in Iran during the 1980 to 1988 as a result of mass execution and torture. Following years have also continued with human rights violation, discriminatory laws and daily arrest, detention, torture and execution including Afghan residents.The Iranian people want to build a new and better world, a decent life in which the humans are not oppressed and humiliated on bases of gender, ethnic and religious differences and preferences.  It is impossible to achieve these under this medieval regime. 

The workers, students, lawyers, journalists, teachers, women and all other freedom and equality seeking people are systematically harassed, abused, arrested and jailed, or freed later on heavy bails. One recent example is the lawyer and activist Nasreen Sotoudeh who is detained and sentenced to 11 years prison term and 20 years exclusion from her job only for exercising her rights as a lawyer and freedom of speech.

According to a recent statement released by the Amnesty International:

“Lawyers have been the latest victims of this ongoing clampdown on human rights defenders and activists. In addition to Nasrin Sotoudeh, Mohammad Olyaeifard, a lawyer and board member of the Committee for the Defence of Political Prisoners in Iran, a human rights organization, is currently serving a one-year prison sentence for speaking out about the execution of one of his clients, a juvenile offender (see Iran urged to release lawyer imprisoned for criticizing juvenile’s execution, 6 May 2010. 

On 23 November 2010, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanetham Pillay, expressed concern for Nasrin Sotoudeh. She called her case part of a much broader crackdown on human rights defenders. The UN High Commissioner urged the Iranian authorities to review her case urgently and expedite her release. http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE13/007/2011/en/68de9b9e-082f-4155-a660-416e18028b65/mde130072011en.html”

In Iran today, the ever more political and class polarizations reflects both the intensifying of the social and economic contradictions and crisis, and also the dilemma of Islamic Republic regime and various factions of the capitalist class over economic and political power and influence at domestic and international level.  However, on one side are the ruling powers, and on the other the masses of people who are coming  together to fight for their democratic rights and fundamental changes in political and social conditions.  They have risen up and are challenging the armed Islamic regime and its reactionary policies and violation of human rights such as torture, capital punishment (including young and children), stoning of women and attacking independent unions and associations and more. Our people are determined to overthrow this regime and thus  to bring about a bright future, freedom, democracy and socialism. 

We call on the world’s progressive forces and working people to express their opposition and protest and don’t let this murderous regime to commit further crimes. The Solidarity Committee with Iranian Workers’ Movement-Australia condemns the death penalty and any form of torture, and demand the perpetrators of violent crimes committed against people including the 2009 post-election political protesters in Iran are brought to justice. All political prisoners, and activists of labour movement must be released immediately &unconditionally. The Islamic regime must end repression, and abolish torture and execution forever.

Execution and torture must be abolished!

Political prisoners must be released!

Down with the Islamic Republic of Iran!

Solidarity Committee with Iranian Workers’ Movement-Australia,

proletarianunite@gmail.com                                                                                                                                  21 January 2011

http://anticuts.com/2010/12/28/free-habibollah-latifi-solidarity-with-students-in-iran/

Please add your name by emailing againstfeesandcuts@gmail.com

We the undersigned call for the release of, and dropping of all charges against, Iranian student Habibollah Latifi. This is urgent: Latifi’s execution was scheduled for 26 December 2010; it was postponed after international protests and after 300 supporters protesting outside the prison gates, but could be rescheduled at any time.

Latifi, who was a law student at Azad University in the south western province of Ilam, in Western Iran, was arrested in October 2007 and sentenced to death in July 2008 after being convicted of moharebeh (‘enmity against God’), a vaguely defined ‘crime’ for which the penalty is death. This was in connection with alleged activities on behalf of a Kurdish liberation group (Latifi is from Iran’s oppressed Kurdish minority; according to Amnesty International, sixteen Kurdish men and two women are on death row in Iran in connection with alleged ‘separatist’ activities).

On 26 December, members of his family including his father and sister were also arrested.

We call on the Iranian authorities to drop all charges against Habibollah Latifi and release him and his family. We will continue to make solidarity with Iranian student activists, who alongside workers have been at the forefront of the struggle for human rights and democracy in Iran.

Initial signatories:
Patrick Murphy, National Union of Teachers National Executive member and Leeds NUT Secretary
Olivia Bailey, National Union of Students Women’s Officer
Barnaby Raine, School and FE Students Against the Cuts
Sean Rillo Raczka, National Union of Students National Executive Committee and Birkbeck Students’ Union Chair
Alan Bailey, NUS Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Officer (Open Place)
Vicki Baars, NUS LGBT Officer (Women’s Place)
Claire Locke, London Metropolitan University SU Communications and Campaigns Officer
Louis Hartnoll, University of the Arts London SU President
Robyn Minogue, University of the Arts SU Education Officer
Wanda Canton, Queen Mary SU Women’s Officer
Katherine McMahon, Edinburgh University anti-cuts activist
Michael Chessum, NCAFC co-founder and UCL Union Education and Campaigns Officer
Daniel Lemberger Cooper, Royal Holloway Anti-Cuts Alliance and Save our services in Surrey
Bob Sutton, Merseyside Network Against Fees and Cuts
Tali Janner-Klausner, London NCAFC activist
Rowan Rheingans, Newcastle University anti-cuts activist
Jade Baker, University of Westminster SU Vice-President Education
Chris Marks, Hull University occupier

Help us to stop the Iranian state murdering Habibollah Latifi! Please add your name by emailing againstfeesandcuts@gmail.com
We call on NUS and other student networks like the Education Activist Network to support the campaign and promote this statement.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reza Shahabi sends a New Year message of thanks from his prison ward
Reza Shahabi the imprisoned worker in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, who has been incarcerated for nearly seven months now, only because of his advocacy for independent workers organizations in Iran, has issued a New Year’s 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

5^th of Day, 1389

 Translated by IASWI,

info@workers-iran.org

International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI)

info@workers-iran.org

www.etehadbinalmelali.com