Mahmoud Salehi, the former leader of the Saghez Bakers' Union, has not been released from prison despite serving the full term of his custodial sentence. In protest he has now gone on hunger strike in Sanandaj prison (in Iranian Kurdistan).
On the last
working day of the Iranian year 1386, Salehi was summoned to appear in
court and accused of a new 'crime' - sending messages outside prison.
According to Sanandaj's prosecutor Salehi has sent messages outside
prison thanking trade unions for sending him solidarity messages!
Because of this new charge a new arrest warrant was issued and he was not released. Yet according to his lawyer, Mohammad Sharif, the Islamic Republic has no law which makes this a crime and that the new detention order is therefore illegal. At most he should have been released on bail. In any case, although Salehi has sent messages of thanks to people outside prison, this was done months ago and not recently. Mr Sharif is concerned that if the regime turns this into a 'national security' issue, then even he will not be given access to his client's file in order to know the precise nature of the charges!
A year ago Mahmoud Salehi was sentenced to four years in prison (three years suspended) for his role in trying to organise the 2004 May Day rally in Saghez. With Salehi's custodial sentence almost finished, his lawyer held discussions with the authorities about releasing him before Norooz (New Year's Day, 20 March) - a big festival for Kurds. The authorities had agreed to release him by Norooz so that he could celebrate it with his family. Two days before the end of his sentence, however, they conjured up a new charge as an excuse for not releasing him. This was a deliberate, cruel and callous measure by the authorities - who reneged on their agreement - in order to put Salehi and his family through further hardship and anguish.
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| Mahmoud Salehi handcuffed to the hospital bed |
To protest against the lawlessness of the legal authorities Salehi has gone on hunger strike. He is very ill and this hunger strike could have serious consequences for his health and well-being. In December 2007 he was taken into hospital (where he was handcuffed to the bed!) when he had problems with his remaining kidney and his blood pressure.
In total Mahmoud Salehi has spent nine years of his life in prison because of his involvement in setting up an independent bakers' union, being a founding member of the Co-ordination Committee for the Formation of Labour Organisations and trying to organise the 2004 May Day rally in Saghez.
We urge all trade unionists, labour activists, socialists and human rights activists to support Mahmoud Salehi and call for his immediate release. You may begin your support with one of the existing e-campaigns, e.g., the Amnesty International appeal. We will publish more information about Mahmoud's condition and other activities being organised in his support.
Iranian Workers' Solidarity Network
Workers' Action Committee (Iran)
27 March 2008