Iran: Hundreds arrested as
persecution of trade unionists escalates
2/2/2006
Brussels, 2 February 2006 (ICFTU OnLine):
Iranian authorities have again targeted trade unionists at Sherkate Vahed,
Teheran’s bus company, in the latest wave of brutal repression. The ICFTU, in a
letter to the country’s authorities, strongly condemned the new arrests of
several hundred trade unionists and their families, including eight executive
members of the Sherkate Vahed union. The union’s leader, Mansour Osanloo, has
been in prison since 22 December.
On 24 January, the Iranian union called for a strike on the 28th, in protest at
the continued detention of Osanloo and in support of a collective bargaining
agreement at the bus company. A dramatic chain of events was to follow. On 25
January, the members of the union’s executive bureau met with the bus company’s
managers to inform them of their intentions despite the fact that eight of them
had been summonsed to appear before the revolutionary court on the 26th. They
have not been seen since their court appearance. According to the information
available to us, they are thought to be in detention at Evin prison, where Mansour
Osanloo has been held, in a high security area, since 22 December.
During the strike that nonetheless went ahead on 28 January, hundreds of trade
unionists and their families were arrested. Many continue to work under great
pressure, others have been severely beaten. The government is determined not to
let the press cover this news. According to diplomatic sources in Teheran, over
500 trade unionists are thought to be currently in prison. In a letter
addressed to President Mahmoud Ahmadjinejad, the ICFTU firmly opposed this
surge in repression and violence being levelled against workers in Iran, insisting
that “social dialogue, the organisation of workers and collective bargaining
are essential to lasting social peace”.
As member of the ILO, Iran has obligations to
fulfil, such as respect for freedom of association and the right to collective
bargaining. The ILO Committee on Freedom of Association is currently dealing
with a compliant lodged against Iran. These latest
violations will be added to the case.
The ICFTU represents 155 million workers in 236 affiliated organisations in 154
countries and territories. The ICFTU is also a partner in Global Unions:
http://www.global-unions.org
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