Mahmoud Salehi was arrested
The latest news from imprisoned teachers
Latest news about Reza Shahabi
Pressure on Jafar Azimzadeh to force him back to the jail
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* Imprisonment of Mahmoud Salehi:
On October 28, Mahmoud Salehi, a prominent figure and a labour activist, while the dialysis machine was still attached to him, was detained in the hospital by the Islamic Republic’s secret police and transferred to Saqez prison.
Arresting Mahmoud Salehi while undergoing hospitalization and dialysis, while he is in dire need of dialysis every week, puts him at a very high risk. This highlights the cruelty of the criminal Islamic regime.
Mahmoud Salehi was exposed to and contracted a variety of diseases when previously in the prisons of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His arrest, while needing regular care for his kidneys, puts his life in danger. The Islamic Republic is responsible for anything that may happens to Mahmoud Salehi. We strongly condemn this brutalization of the Islamic regime and call for Salehi’s immediate release.
* The latest news from imprisoned teachers:
Esmail Abdi and Mahmoud Beheshti, two members of the executive board of Teachers Association of Tehran are in #4 quarantine cell of Evin prison. According to the latest news on October 24, criminal agents of the security guards of Evin prison raided this cell, which is currently the place where a number of political prisoners being held. With this raid, they beat up the prisoners and vandalized the cell.
In addition, Mohsen Omrani, a protesting teacher in Bushehr; and Mokhtar Asadi, a member of the Kurdistan Teachers’ Association, are sentenced to one year in prison. An important challenge for teachers is to demand freeing of their fellow teachers and all other political prisoners. Teachers have expressed this call repeatedly in their protests and campaigns.
* Reza Shahabi was not attended to:
Reza Shahabi, a well-known member the executive board of the Union of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs, has been sentenced to more than 968 more days of imprisonment, despite having spent six years in jail. He went on hunger strike in protest of this verdict. After an extended campaign of support and solidarity with him, after 50 days, he conditionally halted his hunger strike after promises from the authorities to look into his condition. But nothing has been done since. On October 26, it was decided to transfer him to the hospital due to his bad condition. According to a report released by his wife, Robabeh Rezaie, since he didn’t want to be on chains and shackles, this promise was not fulfilled and the plan to transfer him to the hospital was cancelled.
* Increased pressure to return Jafar Azimzadeh to prison:
Judicial authorities have issued an order to enforce returning Jafar Azimzadeh, chair of the board of directors of the Free Trade Union of Workers of Iran, to the prison by wanting to confiscate what is called bail on his release.
The news of Mahmoud Salehi’s arrest was greeted with anger and protests. Workers’ associations such as the Kermanshah Electric and Metal Workers Association, the Free Trade Union of Workers of Iran, have condemned this brutal arrest and demanded his immediate release. In addition, there is now a powerful campaign both inside Iran and globally has been launched for the release of Mahmoud Salehi, Reza Shahabi, Esmail Abdi, Mahmoud Beheshti, Mohsen Amrani, Mokhtar Asadi, Athena Permanent and all political prisoners, and in protest of the pressure to bring Jafar Azimzadeh to jail as well.
Please support us and support Campaign Against Securitizing Workers’, Teachers’, and the General Public’s Protests in Iran.
Campaign to Free Jailed Workers
Shahla.daneshfar2@gmail.com
October 31, 2017