'Traditional' Christmas arrests of labour activists in Iran

During the past week the Iranian regime has arrested Bijan Amiri, Mohsen Hakimi, Bakhtiar Rahimi, Pedram Nasrolahi and Ebrahim Madadi.

The arrests began on 22 December with Bijan Amiri, an Iran Khodro worker, and Mohsen Hakimi, one of the Saghez Seven labour activists, being taken to the notorious Evin Prison. The regime then switched its attack to Kurdistan: on 23 December Bakhtiar Rahimi, a labour activist, and the following day (24 December) Pedram Nasrolahi, an activist of Coordinating Committee for Forming Workers' Organisations, were arrested. Then on 27 December, Ebrahim Madadi, the deputy leader of the Tehran Vahed Bus Company's Trade Union, was also sent to Evin.

They join a long list of imprisoned Iranian labour activists who have committed no crime other than try to form trade unions (or other labour organisations) and to defend the pay and working conditions of workers. Others include Afshin Shams, of the Haft Tapeh Sugar Company's union, Mansour Osanloo, the leader of the Tehran Vahed Bus Company's Trade Union, Farzad Kamangar, a Kurdish teacher, and others.

Three years ago, in December 2005, the Iranian regime established a new 'tradition' of arresting labour activists in the Christmas period - knowing full well that their brothers and sisters in Europe and the Americas will not be able to mobilise any immediate solidarity action because of the Christmas and New Year festivities. Although they arrested the whole leadership of the Tehran Vahed Bus Company's Trade Union in December 2005, because of the combativity of the bus drivers, and the international solidarity of workers across the globe, the regime's plans for smashing trade unionism in Iran were defeat.

We urge all trade unionists, socialists, and labour and human rights activists to send protest emails/letters (see the model letter below) to the Iranian authorities.

Iranian Workers' Solidarity Network
28 December 2008

Model letter

(Enter date) December 2008

Dear Mr President

I write to bring to your attention the recent arrest of several labour activists, including trial of Bijan Amiri, Mohsen Hakimi, Bakhtiar Rahimi, Pedram Nasrolahi and Ebrahim Madadi.

Since these activists have committed no crime other than try to form trade unions and to defend the pay and rights of workers, then they should be released immediately and without any conditions.

I look forward to hearing about your positive intervention in this regard in the international media.

Yours sincerely

(enter your name, trade union etc. position & country)

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Please send your protest letter to:

Please send a copy of your protest email to:

Iranian Workers' Solidarity Network
Email: iranwsn@fastmail.fm

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
5 Boulevard du Roi Albert II, Bte 1
1210 Brussels
Belgium
Fax: +32 (0)2 201 5815
E-mail: internetpo@ituc-csi.org

International Labour Organization (ILO)
International Labour Office
4, route des Morillons
CH-1211 Geneva 22
Switzerland
Email: ilo@ilo.org