INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF FREE TRADE UNIONS (ICFTU) Global union fears for safety of Iranian trade unionist Brussels 8 November 2000 (ICFTU OnLine): An Iranian trade unionist has been detained by the government and there are now deep concerns over his health. The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) has sent a letter of protest to President Khatami, calling  for urgent medical treatment and his immediate release. Mahmood Salehi, President of the Bakery Workers Union of the city of Saqqez,  who was sent to prison on August 24 for a ten month sentence, is now living in inhuman conditions, the ICFTU noted. After repeatedly being denied proper medical care by the prison authorities, he is now about to lose his second kidney, following earlier health problems. Mr. Salehi has been in prison on several occasions, during which his health seriously worsened. The ICFTU called upon the President to order immediate treatment and to withdraw all the charges against Mr. Salehi. His only crime, the ICFTU recalled, was his courageous efforts to organise workers and defend their rights. The ICFTU, the world's largest trade union body, backed the petition signed on October 24 by the 180 workers of the union which Mr Salehi presides. It strongly protested over Tehran's methods to silence trade unionists and urged the government to set an example of good will by releasing Mr Salehi, thus respecting the internationally-guaranteed right of trade unions to carry out their activities in full freedom and security. In its Annual Survey 2000, the ICFTU noted Iran's poor record on trade union rights. The law does not give workers the right to strike and a 1993 law simply prohibits strikes by government workers. This discriminatory attitude was demonstrated on May 1 1999 where dozens were arrested in Teheran after protesting against a proposed law on small businesses. For more information, please contact the ICFTU Press Department on +32 2 224 0212.                                              *** Wednesday 8, November 2000 To: World Confederation of labour       Canada Labour Congress       Amnesty International On behalf of our members at CUPE 2497, I am writing in support of Mr. Mahmood Salehi, the president of Baker's union of the city Of Saghez. As we know, Mr.Salehi has been arrested by Iranian authorities for his attempt to organize and defend worker's rights in Kurdistan, Iran. From our understanding, Mr. Salehi had been arrested five times in the last two years. He has been through a harsh time in the hand of Islamic regime in custody. As a result, hid health has been detrioted drastically under inhumane treatments. He is suffering from kidney diseases and needs immediate medical care. At this point, the authorities have deprived him to have access to medical care. We call for his immediate release and an end to the persecution of the worker activists in Iran. We are asking labour organizations and Amnesty International to send a protest letter to Iranian authorities to save the life of Mr. Mahmood Salehi. If you need more information and updates, you can contact me at [email protected] Yours Sincerely, Khalil Vermezyari Vice -president Canadian Union of Public Employees - Local 2497  *** To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2000 9:27 PM Subject: Inhuman Jailing of Trade Unionist President Khatami: I write on behalf of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, of which I am an Organizer, to condemn the life threatening persecution of Mahmood Salehi from the Bakery Workers Union in the City of Saqqaz. His 'crime' is to organize workers to struggle for basic rights and a decent standard of living and for this, with his health broken and denied medical treatment, he faces the prospect of a cruel and needless death. We are aware of the efforts of your Regime to pass itself off as 'enlightened' and 'progressive' in the eyes of international opinion. The abuses and injustices you continue to direct against courageous people like Mahmood Salehi, expose your 'new image' for the sham and disgusting falsehood it really is. If this fine man is allowed to die at the hands of your 'justice system' we will spare no effort to expose this outrage. We demand Mr. Salehi's immediate release and call upon you to respect the rights of working people in Iran. John Clarke, Organizer Ontario Coalition Against Poverty **************************************************** Please Send Your Protest letters to President of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Email and/ or Postal Addresses: [email protected] Postal Address: The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mohammad Khatami, The Presidency, Pastor Avenue, Tehran, Iran. Tel: +98(21) 6161 CC can be sent to the IRI's Embassy in Canada: 245 Metcalfe St.Ottawa, Ontario K2P 2K2 Canada Tel(consulate): (613) 233-IRAN (4726)Fax(consulate): (613) 236-IRAN (4726)Tel(embassy): (613) 235-IRAN (4726)Fax(embassy): (613) 232-5712 (4726) Email: [email protected]