The Islamic regime of Iran continues its persecution of worker activists. A new wave of arrests was carried out in recent months. Among them many workers, teachers, students and women activists. But at the same time we have witnessed that people have not kept silent. Teachers and pensioners and workers stepped up their protests demanding the release of their jailed colleges. Recently the regime released several political prisoners but kept the long term jail sentences over their head. Sill many workers and teachers are in jail. The following are the latest news from the jailed workers and teachers, recent arrests and summons:
-Jafar Azimzadeh, a well-known labor leader and the head of the Free Union of Workers of Iran, was arrested On 29 January 2019 to serve his 6 years jail sentence.
Jafar Azimzadeh recently sent a video message from inside the prison protesting the intensification of arrests and brutal prison sentences for labor activists, including a number of members of the Free Trade Union. Because of that message, he was summoned to court and a new security case was filed. Jafar Azim Zadeh is known for his statement against securitizing the workers activities, together with a well-known teacher Esmail Abdi. Following that movement, the campaign to stop security cases against workers in Iran became a social movement.
-Ali Nejati, a member of the Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Syndicate, was tried in court on November10, on charges of “gathering and colluding to commit crimes against the country’s domestic and international security” and “propaganda activity against the system”.
– Mr Esmail Abdi is a well known member of the executive board of Teachers Association of Tehran has been arrested to serve a 6 years jail term on November 9, 2016.
-In the run-up to May 1st, the Islamic Republic arrested a number of workers in an attempt to prevent them from holding rallies on the International Workers’. Some of them released on bail but Ms Haleh Safar Zadeh and Mr. Alireza Saghafi Two members of the Writers’ Association and Parvin Mohammadi, the vice president of the Free Union of Workers were released after 16 days. Then on August 24 they were sentenced to one year jailed. On October 26 Mrs. Parvin Mohammadi was summoned to spend her one year prison sentence, She has not yet introduced himself to prison.
On May 1, 2019, security forces assaulted a workers gathering in front of the parliament in Tehran demanding their wages and rights, and arrested more than 50 workers, retirees, and students. Then they were released on bail. But many of them were sentenced to long term prison sentences and even to brutal lashing sentence. Among them Ms Atefeh Rangriz and Ms Marzieh Amiri were released on Octeber 26 on bail. Atefeh has been sentenced to eleven years and six months jail and 74 lashes. Marzieh Amiri was sentenced to Ten years and six months in prison and 148 lashes. Ms Neda Naji, another of May 1st detainees, is still in prison.
-On November 9, Hamid Reza Rahmbati a member of the teachers Association was arrested to serve 3years jail and 74 lashes. In protest of these savage sentences he has gone on hunger strike and he is still on hunger strike.
– Mohammed Habibi, a member of executive board of the Teachers’ Association in Tehran, was arrested on May 10, 2018. On August 5th, Mohammad Habibi was sentenced to ten and a half years prison and 74 lashes by the judicial authorities. .
– On June 9, Omid Shah Mohammadi was arrested in Divandareh city and transferred to Sanandaj Prison. He was arrested last autumn while participating in the teachers’ general strike and was temporarily released on 100 million Toman bail after 40 days. He was sentenced to one year prison on charges of “encouraging teachers to strike.”
– Mr Abdol Reza Ghanbari , a jailed teacher, was arrested on October 13, 2018. He has previously spent 7 years in jail under security charges. He had 10 years conviction but following a mass campaign in support of him, the authorities reviewed his case and he was released in March 16, 2016 on bail. In reviewing his case the Islamic court increased his conviction from 10 to 15 years in prison and now he has to serve this long prison term.
– Mr Rouhollah Mardani, a teacher and student at Tehran University, was sentenced to 6 years prison and 2 years of social exclusion. He was arrested February 17, 2018 and he is in jail.
-Mr Mahmoud Beheshti another teacher and a member of the executive board of the teachers’ Association with 5 years sentence term has been arrested on September12, 2017.
Mr Esmaeil Bakhshi the well-known Haft Tape Sugar cane activist was released on October 30, and Ms Sepideh Gholiyan , Mr Amir Amir Gholi, Mr Amir Hosein Mohammadi Fard, Ms Sanaz Allahyari Sugar cane supporters and Ms Atefeh Rangriz , Ms Marzyeh Amiri May Day detainees were released on October 26 on bail. Also Ms Asal Mohammadi, a supporter of sugar cane workers was released on November 2 on bail.
Free Them Now congratulates all of them, their family, Sugar cane workers in Haft Tapeh and all the workers and those who campaigned for their freedom.
Mr Esmaeil Bakhshi and 7 other detainees were released on heavy bails. But their freedom still is very important and is the result of the pressure on the Islamic regime by workers ‘ and people’s protests and all the international solidarity and protests in support of the detainees.
Free Them Now thanks the many international organisations that supported jailed works in Iran and our campaign to free jailed workers in Iran and congratulate everyone. Workers and people in Iran appreciate this success and demand their unconditional release. They call for a ban on bail against political prisoners and returning the all bailed assets to their owners. We demand the closure of the all security cases against labour activists, teachers and all political prisoners .
Facing this grim situation, workers in Iran are not silent, but are struggling and defending their rights. They need international support in their camp. Free Them Now call on all trade unions and human rights organisations around the world and all individuals and organisations appalled by the horrific human rights abuse in Iran to support workers in Iran and campaign to free jailed workers in Iran.
Please support our demands and join us in any way you can, including the condemnation of the Islamic Republic through open protest letters and putting pressure on the International Labour Organization (ILO) to end the appeasement with the Islamic Republic:
– condemn the Islamic regime of Iran for its persecution of worker activists and political dissidents.
All charges brought against imprisoned worker and teacher activists must be dropped.
– Securitizing Workers’, Teachers’, and the General Public’s Protests in Iran should be stopped. Trials of workers and all political activists must be stopped and any kind of fabrication of charges against them must be cancelled. “Free Them Now”calls for a ban on lashing sentences.
– Support the struggle of the workers and people of Iran for freedom, the right to organise and strike, and for welfare, equality, justice and a life of dignity.
A regime which arrests, jails, and flogs workers should be expelled from ILO!
We have announced our demands as a resolution and so far our resolution been signed by 5 workers unions in Canada, Switzerland, Australia and Iraq. We hope your organization will also support our demands by signing it. You can find attached this statement.
All workers, teachers and political prisoners must be released immediately and unconditionally
Campaign to Free Jailed Workers in Iran (Free Them Now(
November 13,2019
Shahla Daneshfar, Shahla.daneshfar2@gmail.com
