News Highlights- Workers’ Struggles in Iran       Updated: September 9, 2007

 

 _ Bakhtyar Rahimi, a labour activist, was arrested by security forces at 3:00 am. His house was searched and his personal belongings such as computer, CDs, camera, etc. were confiscated. (Salam Democrat weblog, July 23, 2007)

_Parviz Khorshid, Mansour Osanloo’s lawyer, announced that he has not got permission to meet his client. Osanloo, the president of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran & Suburb Bus Company-Sherkate Vahed has been charged with “security accusations” and has been held with no visitation rights by the revolutionary court’s Branch 28. (ISNA, July 25, 2007)

_Mohammad Sharif, Mahmood Salehi’s lawyer says that his efforts to move Mahmood Salehi from Sanandaj prison to Saqez prison has been unsuccessful and prison officials have always prevented him to meet his client. (ISNA, July 25, 2007)

_ Javanmir Moradi, a founding member of the Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers in Iran reports: 600 workers of Gama Company have not been paid for 3 months. To protest this situation, workers went on strike. 40 workers were fired. They were the most active workers during the strike. Also, 120 workers of Pars Hass Company who were not being paid for 3 months went to strike. This company is a contractor of T.I.G.D Company. These contractors are working in Assalooyeh Refinery, Phase 6, 7 and 8.

_ 11 workers, who were arrested on May Day celebration in Sanandaj city, were sentenced to 91 days in prison and 10 lashes each. They were accused of disturbing public order and participating in an illegal gathering by both civil and revolutionary courts of Sanandaj. Their names are: Khaled Savari, Eghbal Latifi, Yadullah Moradi, Tayeb Mollaee, Fars Goilian, Sadiq Amjadi, Habibollah Kalkani, Mohiuddin Rajabi, Tayeb Chatani, Sadiq Sobhani and Abbas Anadyari. (The Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers, August 5th, 2007)

_ Ebrahim Madadi, the vice-president of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran & Suburb Bus Company was summoned to Tehran Revolutionary Court Court-Branch14. His charges are: ‘propaganda against establishment, conspiracy and assembly for the purpose of endangering national security. (ISNA, August 7, 2007)

_ Mohammad Jarahi a member of Painters’ and Building Decorations’ Syndicate was arrested in Tabriz city by the security forces. He has also been a member of The Committee to Pursue the Establishment of Free Workers’ Organizations. (Salam Democrat weblog, August 8, 2007)

_ Ebrahim Madadi, Seyed Davood Razavi, Yaghoub Salimi, Ebrahim Nowroozi Gohari and Homayon Jaberi, members of Vahed Syndicate, were arrested by intelligent forces and were transferred to Evin prison while they went to Osanloo’s house to state their solidarity with Mansour Osanloo on August 9, 2007. Taher Sadeqi and Fatemeh Hajilou were also amongst the detainees (Vahed Syndicate)

_ Yaghoub Salimi a member of Tehran & Suburb Bus Company-Sherkate Vahed was summoned to Enghelab Islami Court-Branch 14. His charges are: propaganda against regime and disturbing Law and order as well as endangering national security. (Etemad, August 13, 2007)

_ Yousef Molaee, Osanloo’s lawyer, announced that he has met with his client, Mansour Osanloo, in Evin prison.  “Mansour was beaten severely when he was arrested. He had bruises all over his body”, he added. (ISNA, August 14, 2007)

_ Parviz Khorshid who is the lawyer of some of accused workers of Tehran & Suburb Bus Company- Sherkate Vahed declared that: “Seyed Davood Razavi has had a hearing at Tehran Enghelab Islami Court-Branch14 on August 21st 2007. His charges were propaganda against regime, illegal gathering and deranging national security. Also, Yaghoub Salimi will have a hearing for similar accusations. See latest information below:

- According to the Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburban Bus (Vahed) Company, on “Saturday September 8, 2007 Ebrahim Madadi, Deputy of the Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburban Bus (Vahed) Company was taken to the Interrogation of Security branch number one and was questioned and was once again returned to Evin after the questioning procedure was over. Ebrahim Madadi was arrested on August 9, 2007 when he was about to enter Mansour Osanloo’s house and was taken to Evin. Furthermore, Seyed Davoud Razavi, a member of the Syndicate’s Executive Board who was arrested on August9, 2007, was released on a $50,000 bail on September 8, 2007”.

 

- Taher Sadeqi , who was arrested on August 9th , 2007 before Osanloo’s house and then was transferred to Evin prison, and Fatemeh Hajilou, who were moved to section 209  in Evin prison, have been released from prison.

- According to Committee in Defence of Mahmoud Salehi, Mr. Salehi was transferred to Tohid Hospital in Sanandaj under heavy security on Thursday, August 23rd after his health reached a very critical condition. Salehi, while being handcuffed to the hospital bed, received a simple medical examination and subsequently was sent back to the prison again despite the recommendation of the hospital’s physicians. Salehi was again transferred to the Tohid hospital on September 2, 2007 for another short treatment and was sent back to jail.

- On Wednesday, August 29th, 2007, Mohammad Abdipour, one of the Saqez Seven labour activists, while taking his 7 year-old child to a hair salon, was attacked by someone named Omar Darwish Abdullah with a handgun. Abdipour was not harmed in this attack as he was rescued by people present in the area. In a statement on august 30th, the Committee in Defense of Mahmoud Salehi emphasized that this kind of attack, particularly with a gun, can only done by the government forces and with their arrangement.  

- Public transit drivers in the City of Kermanshah went on strike on August 27th for almost a full shift to demand immediate attention to their unresolved issues. Workers were demanding permanent position for contract employees and a better insurance scheme to protect drives as well as the payment of their overdue bonuses. 

- Sheys Amani and Sedigh karimi members of the board of directors of the Dismissed and Unemployed Workers’ Union have been sentenced 30 months imprisonment by the Sanandaj’s criminal court. These two labour activists were incarcerated following organizing a rally on May 1st 2007 in Sanandaj. Each was freed on 50 million Toman bail (US$54,000) in June. They will appeal these charges.

- According to the Teachers’ Trade Association of Tehran, Mr. Hamid Rahmati an activist teacher in the city of Shahreza was arrested by security forces in his home on September 6, 2007 and was released after 24 hours detention on September 6th. He went on hunger strike right following his arrest. In addition Ms. Baadpar, also a member of Teachers’ Trade Association, who was there as a guest, was arrested and a couple hours later released.

- According to news reported at the Salam Democrat weblog in Iran, on September 5, 2007, the Teachers’ Trade Association of Kermanshah’s legal certificate was annulled by the Kermansha governorship. Therefore, the association has no rights to organize any activities under this name.

- According to a report by the Collaborative Council of Labour Organizations and Activists, the Workers of Azemayesh factory in Marvdasht went on strike as of in August  2007 to demand the payment of their overdue wages. This factory used to have 1400 workers but about 1000 was dismissed and out of the 400 remaining workers only 200 have permanent positions. The factory is not fully functioning and there is news that the employer is planning to lay off all employees and shut down the factory entirely.

For more information, contact [email protected]

www.workers-iran.org

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