To trade unions, organizations, political parties and all supporters of working class all over the world!

To trade unions, organizations, political parties and all supporters of working class all over the world!

Shahrokh Zamani, a member of “House-Painter Workers Union”, who is currently serving an 11 years prison sentences, wrote a letter of protest to the International Labour Organization ILO on November 6^th, 2012. In this letter he protests against the injustice that is imposed on the working class in Iran.

In this Letter out of Rajaei-Shahr prison Shahrokh Zamani requested ILO to complaint against the rightlessness and repression of workers in Iran, but there has not been and still is no reaction or respond from the part of ILO.

We object this eye-opening silence of the ILO and call all trade unions, political parties, organizations and well-known individuals, who care for the worries of the workers, to join in and to challenge the indifference and inaction of ILO towards Islamic regime of Iran, which signs the ILO conventions and tramples on them.

We give strong support to Shahrokh Zamani’s protest letter and demand the immediate actions for release of all imprisoned workers such as Shahrokh Zamani, Reza Shahabi, Behnam Ebrahim Zadeh, Mohammad Jarahi, Afshin Osanloo and others.

We seek trade unions´s and labour organization´s support to protest against the 

repression and hostility towards the workers in Iran.

Solidarity Committees with the Iranian Workers' Movement-Abroad December 2012

nhkommittehamahangi@gmail.com

www.iran-arbeiterbewegung-info.blogspot.de

www.youtube.com/user/IranianLabourMovemen

In solidarity with protest of working class against austerity policies in Europe

In solidarity with protest of working class against austerity policies in Europe

Fellow workers!

Today, more than ever, the working class in countries such as Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, France and other EU countries is facing a full scale, pandemic crisis.

The call for a general strike throughout Europe on November 14th 2012 coincides with the recent announcement of striking miners in South Africa. We're on your side and feel us obliged to support and join the struggles of European workers to reclaim the achievements of decades of struggles.

Dear comrades!

The call for a general strike against mass layoffs, at a time when over 50 million workers in European Union countries are unemployed and the threat of unemployment for many other is higher than ever, is an appropriate answer to the necessity of resistance against the aggression of capital and exploitation of workers.

It is the manifestation of the will of the working class in whole Europe and especially in Southern Europe to express their dissatisfaction against the austerity plans by strikes, demonstrations and rallies across Europe.

It is obvious that the international capital especially in Europe, standing on the edge of an abyss, intends to load the working class with the burden of the financial and stock market crises by austerity policies, mass layoffs and even by sparking regional war.

In such circumstances, the working class cannot only take guard and act defensively. Demands, such as 30-hour workweek with full compensation have the ability to mobilize a large number of workers.

We, the Solidarity Committees with the Iranian Workers' Movement-Abroad, believe that our struggles are common because our enemy is common. We can only have faith in on our own united power and solidarity.  

We will put all our efforts to bring your voice to the Iranian workers and will accompany you in your protests.

Solidarity Committees with the Iranian Workers' Movement-Abroad

November 6th, 2012

Messages of Solidarity Committees with the Iranian Workers' Movement-Abroad

To the striking workers in South African mines“Rustenburg Joint Strike Coordinating Committee 

Dear comrades!

We heard your appeal for international support and solidarity. During the last few months we are witnessing your strikes and struggles for justice. We heard the heart rending sound of thundering machine guns opened fire on you and we were devastated by the news.

To spread your voice and learn more about your struggles in Iran, we released a statement and published it on YouTube in Farsi language.

You are struggling with Devotion and courage against the imperial capital giants, multinational corporations and imperialist order. You know that poverty, lack of proper housing, lack of education etc., in other words having a decent life is not natural and not imposed by a supernatural force, but the result of a profit dominated and exploitative system, which not only rules your lives, but also lives of billions of people worldwide.

As appears from your letter, you are also suffering the lack of mass organization of the working class; having a traitorous trade union that backs up the capitalists instead of the workers.

Dear comrades!

We declare our solidarity with you and supporting you as our duty and responsibility.

We will do our best to bring your voice to your comrades in Iran in all possible ways.

In the coming days we will donate a small amount into your account.

We regard your struggles and victory as ours and shake your hands warmly

Long live the united struggles against the capitalism

Solidarity Committees with the Iranian Workers' Movement-Abroad,

October 2012

Mahmoud Salehi - Based on what charges were workers in Karaj attacked and beaten

Mahmoud Salehi - Based on what charges were workers in Karaj attacked and beaten

Based on what charges were workers in Karaj attacked and beaten

It had been almost a year since the last General Assembly of Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations, back in March 2011. According to our by-laws General Assembly must be held on an annual basis, so the membership would be able to conduct a review of the steering committee, its activities, inspectors, our financial affairs, and also to elect a new steering committee and inspectors as well. Thus in February 2012 Coordinating Committee sent a formal request to Ministry of Labor requesting one of their auditoriums, to be used for our General Assemblies. But their responses to our repeated requests were negative, and they verbally stated their objection. Hence based on majority of membership’s decision we decided to hold our sixth General Assembly on Friday 15 June 2012 at Mehr Shahr city of Karaj Province, and to also simultaneously still pursue our rejected request for space.

I and three other friends Messer Jamil Rast’khadive, Rahman Kardar, and Ali Hossaini had left city of Saghez on Thursday afternoon, heading towards Karaj. We arrived in Emamzadeh Tahr around ten thirty at night, and after calling a friend we were picked up by two other friends whom took us to the house in which our meeting was to be held. After my release from jail I realized that neighborhood is called Aram Boulevard.

After going up three flights of stairs we arrived at our host’s house on the third floor. After knocking on the door, a most respectful young lady opened the door, and introduced her self to us. When we entered I felt as if we were entering a grocery store that sells eggs! All the walls in that house were covered with empty egg boxes. Our host explained that such covering helped to reduce all the sound and noise emanating from the house, so as not to disturb the neighbors. By the next morning most other attendees had arrived, and while we were having our breakfast and casual conversations, perhaps no one was thinking about security forces later attacking our gathering and arresting us.

The sixth annual meeting of Coordination Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations began at eight in the morning and it was formally initiated by election of a steering committee. After an hour, there were scattered remarks and conversations amongst the attendees about unsuitability of that space for our gathering. When a speaker would start their remarks, they would be asked to lower their voices so as to not bother the neighbors. In face of such obstacles the meeting went on till noon, when all of a sudden the news spread amongst attendees that security forces had surrounded the entire neighborhood. I and a few others plus our host went to a window to take a look. Right across our house we saw a huge gathering of security forces, but we were told by our host that they were not there for us, and asked to be calm! As we continued our meeting the door bell was rang. The person that opened the door said that some one needed the key to the rooftop.

At exactly 12:20 the attack on us began with shots being fired, and tens of armed security forces in civilian attire, cursing, screaming and insulting, banging on the door and demanding to be let in. Everyone inside that small house was trying to hide where ever they could. As soon as the door was opened up many armed security forces in civilian clothing rushed in, pointing their guns in our faces and mouths and telling us to roll on the floor, faces down. Many times I have seen on television how Israeli forces attack Palestinians and indiscriminately starts beating them up, but these agents attacking us workers in that house were a hundred times worse. All of us were forced to spread on the floor, with their hands behind their backs, and if anyone dared to move they would be attacked by a group of these thugs that were fed and paid by our labor and our toils. The insults they were screaming at us could only be heard from their lips, for I’m truly ashamed to even mention any of it in here. When some of the agents recognized our Kurdish attire, they began attacking us even more insanely and screaming:” You’re the ones responsible for killing thousands of Guardian Corps, and what the heck are you doing in this city,…” An agent began walking on my back and started kicking me. One of my fellow workers laying close to me screamed at him:” Don’t kick him, he has a kidney problem.”  The agents reacted by hitting me harder, screaming back: “Let his kidney explode…”

In this massive attack every single one was severely beaten up, while agents kept screaming that we were a bunch of terrorists. There were a lot of terrified people gathered outside of building and asking what was going on, and why they were shooting? Why there were so many people in there? Why they kept beating us up? An officer commanding of agents asked some of the people to follow him inside the room, and a few women followed him inside observing all of us in hand cuffs, spread on the floor, faces down. One of the women asked who we were.  Before we could say anything, an agent told her that we were terrorists and that people should be thankful that we were apprehended. If any of us tried to tell the truth to the people we would by attacked by a group of agents. By the time we were evacuated out of the house practically everything inside that house was broken and destroyed, with only a handful of object still intact.

Besides being hand cuffed I was also tied at my feet. I and Hussein Pirooti were the first one to be taken out of the house. As we were exited we were also being video taped. There was also a group of agents down by the stairs that would beat up, and insult us some more as we passed them. We were forced to enter the cars with our hands tied behind our back. If anyone’s head was raised, they would be hit. It took a very long while for them to put all of us in those cars, all along we had to endure that hot, cramped space, hearing all those profanities and disrespect. The handcuffs were so tied that Khalid Hossaini and a few others began protesting, and saying their hands were getting paralyzed. Agents responses were along the lines of: “Shut the hell up. Your hands are getting paralyzed, tough. I wish to god all your hands gets paralyzed.” Finally they cars began a long journey towards the prison. Again we were subjected to outrageous disrespect and profanities while exiting the cars. Everyone was blindfolded, and lined up. Slightest sound out of anyone, and they would be hit by a group of agents. We were put in several large halls, and after our shoes and belts were taken away, everyone was divided into to large groups, each in a huge room.

At this point we realized we were inside ward 94 of Rajaei Shahr prison of Karaj, which is a high security ward, for political prisoners and managed jointly by Ministry of Information, Armed Forces and Guardians Corps. According to prisoners that were there before us, no on in that ward even had visitation privileges. A prisoner I met in there Mr. Sied Mahmud Dolt’abadi had been incarcerated for 32 months, his case still undecided.

The interrogations began after we were transferred to individual cells. Personally I wasn’t disrespected during my interrogations, but I heard account of some that were disrespected and beaten up during their interrogations. Saturday morning at four o’clock we were all told to wake up, and face the wall. All were blind folded again, and told not to make a sound. Everyone was taken out of cells individually, and threatened to sign a piece of paper and take a picture. Initially we though the paper was some kind of finger printing, but soon realized that it were a sort of a recognizance form. Everyone refused to do anything with papers. We were summoned again Saturday morning and forced and threatened that unless we resigned from Coordinating Committee, we would stay in prison. But not a single one broke down, and everybody unanimously defended our Committee. Despite intimidation tactics, insults and violence all of us were in high spirits, and without any fear we were singing our labor anthems.

After being arrested for 32 hours, without a single one being told exactly what the charges were, we were freed form prison. Once released, we went back to the neighborhood and met some of the people who had witnessed our arrest. During our conversations we told them we were neither terrorist nor saboteur, but only a group of workers having a labor meeting, and apologized if we had caused them any inconvenience. People told us they had recognized from the first glance that we were decent folks and security forces were lying to them.

This was a brief account of what happened to us on Friday 15 June 2010 in Karaj, when members of Coordinating Committee were subjected to disrespect, profanities, beating and intimidation without a single charge.

There are still nine other members of Committee incarcerated and not released.

They are Mss: Mitra Homayoni, Rayhaneh Ansary, and Messer: Alireza Askari, Saied Marzban, Mazyar Mehrparvr, Siros Fatehi, Jalil Mohamadi, Faramrz Fetrt’nezhad, Masoud Salim’pour.

Mahmud Salehi

21 June 2012

Free all members of the "Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations" in Iran

Attack on memberes of "Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations" in Iran

On Friday, June 15, 2012, about 60 members of the "Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations" were arrested by the agents of the Intelligence Ministry after they raided a house in city of Karaj while an annual meeting of the coordinating committee was underway.

Participants in the meeting were severely beaten by the security agents and transferred to Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj. The majority of detainees were released on June 16th with the exception of two women and seven men who have been detained incommunicado.

Their colleagues and family members are seriously concerned about their safety.


Petition 
WHEREAS: We are seriously concerned about the safety of detained members of "Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations". They have been imprisoned--and mistreated--solely for their peaceful exercise of workers' rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association; They are: Mitra Homayooni, Reyhaneh Ansari, Alireza Asgari, Saeed Marzaban, Cyrus Fathi, Masoud Salimpour, Maziar Mehrpour, Jalil Mohammadi and Faramarz Fetrat Nejad. Many more labour activists have been arrested, imprisoned, persecuted and sacked form their workplaces. The repression of the Iranian labor movement has been intensifying.

AND WHEREAS: Article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Iran is a signatory state, specifies that “everyone shall have the right to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and join trade unions for the protection of his/her interests;

THEREFORE: We the undersigned strongly condemn the recent raid and arrests of over 60 workers in Karaj, and we demand that the international community declare all the members of "Coordinating Committee" continued detention illegal and bring all possible pressure to bear upon the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately and unconditionally release them, and all other imprisoned labor activists in Iran.

 to  sign petition click the link below:
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/free-all-the-members-of-coordinating-committee-to-help.html

Reza Shahabi’s denial letter regarding the statement published in Vahed syndicate’s website and reconfirmation of his previous statement

Reza Shahabi’s denial letter regarding the statement published in
Vahed syndicate’s website and reconfirmation of his previous statement

Communiqué number 17 from the Reza Shahabi Defence Committee

After the publication of Reza Shahabi’s statement on 19/01/2012, an
article was published in Vahed syndicate’s website in which the
content was false; it was aimed to sabotage the credibility of Reza
Shahabi’s message and to misrepresent its content, which needs to be
addressed. The article that was published in the Syndicate’s website
contained a lie in the name of Reza Shahabi. After Reza Shahabi was
informed of the statement in Vahed syndicate’s website, he wrote a
letter and stated that the statement, which may have been prepared by
only one person with specific aims and motives, was untrue, and hence
he expressed his displeasure of the Syndicate’s website.

It seems that the statement published in the Syndicate’s website is a
combination of imagination, lies and destruction of personal
characteristics and orchestrated by a “writer” with a special interest
against the interest of the labour movement and also contrary to the
beliefs of Reza Shahabi and possibly in order to create problems for
him. The letter which seems to have been written by one “writer” is
reminiscent of the fact that the writer may imagine that the bigger
the lie the more believable it becomes!

However, Reza Shahabi, in his second letter in connection with the
‘Human Rights Award”, again stated that Mehdi Kouhestani is neither
his representative nor a like-minded person and he is not representing
any workers’ organisations in Iran.

Reza Shahabi’s letter is as follows. Here we attached, as an evidence,
a scanned copy of the Reza Shahabi’s first handwritten letter
(statement 19/01/2012) with his signature and his second letter in
which he denied the statement in syndicate’s website.

Reza Shahabi Defence Committee
………………………………………………………………………………………….

With greetings and respect to the board members and activists of Vahed
workers’ Syndicate and to the esteemed members of my defence committee
and all labour activists and organizations;

May I respectfully present, Monday night I was informed of the content
of a statement published in the syndicate’s website, in which it
alleged that Reza Shahabi, has denied his statement published on
19/01/2012 by his defence committee. A statement concerning a human
rights prize that has been given to a person named Mehdi Kouhestani
while neither both my family and I nor my defence committee were aware
of.  In fact the reality is that i approve my first letter.

The reality is that Mehdi Kouhestani is neither my representative nor
a like-minded person; he has never had any authority to represent the
Vahed Workers’ Syndicate or any other workers’ organisations in Iran.

 After publishing my statement on 19/01/2012 (first letter) by my
defence committee, one of the members of the Vahed syndicate who was
not happy with my statement, on Saturday 21/01.2012 announced that
this statement will raise questions about Mehdi Kouhestani and the
Vahed Syndicate. On the contrary, I believe that my statement, apart
from showing my position, proclaims Vahed syndicate’s independence
from the individuals who pursue anti-worker agenda.
This member of the Syndicate repeatedly asked me to deny my statement.
I declared that; what I have written is nothing but the truth. To
ensure that there are no discrepancies between my original statement,
even unintentionally, and the one that got published, I told him that
I would compare differences in my written text with the one released
by the defence Committee. When I compared them, I realised that  there
is no changes in the statement, therefore the Defence Committee had
done their responsibility flawlessly. I hereby declare once more that
the released statement by Reza Shahabi defence committee on 19/01/2012
is fully approved by me.

I am very sorry to see that the statement published in the Syndicate’s
website has absolutely misused my declaration that ” I will compare
the statement with my written text” and hence unfortunately, the whole
statement published in the Syndicate website, with has particular
motives and reasons, is false and fictional.

Dear friends

I announce my objection to the Vahed Syndicate’s website and then to
the organisation that dedicated the prize. I, due to the lack of
access to sufficient information, do not know the funding sources of
this specific organisation and who its members are. It is praiseworthy
if other friends could investigate these cases. I only believe in
contacting with organisations that are striving for the interests of
the labour movement. Nevertheless, my conclusive objection at least is
that why and for what reason and with whose recommendation Mehdi
Kouhestani was selected to receive something on my behalf.

Mehdi Kouhestani is neither my representative and nor a like-minded
person and he is not representing any workers’ organisations in Iran.

In the end, and once again, my request from all is that to consider
all materials published by the Defence Committee of my opinions, and
please contact this committee for all reasons.

Reza Shahabi,
 Worker in jail- The Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors
of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus company
23 January 2012; 23 Hour
……………………………………………………………………………..

Distributed by Reza Shahabi Defence Committee
Contact information:
Mahmoud Salehi; Phone: 09188747104
k.d.shahabi@gmail.com
www.k-d-shahabi.blogspot.com

Reza Shahabi’s communiqué about a human rights award

Reza Shahabi’s communiqué about a human rights award

Communiqué number16 from the Reza Shahabi Defence Committee

I have heard that an award for human rights in the field of labour has been dedicated to me and delivered to a person named “ Mehdi Kouhestani”. I would like to announce publicly that neither me nor my family and friends, who believe in workers' independence, were aware of this event.

It is also necessary to explain that “Mehdi Kouhestani” is neither my representative nor a like-minded person.

Lastly, I would like to ask my friends and all workers and workers' organizations to discuss all cases only with my defense committee.

Reza Shahabi – An imprisoned worker

January 19, 2012

Phone number for Reza Shahabi Defense Committee' Spokesperson:

Mahmoud Salehi:  09188747104

k.d.shahabi@gmail.com

www.k-d-shahabi.blogspot.com

Announcement of formation of „Committee for the Defense of Reza Shahabi"

Announcement of formation of „Committee for the Defense of Reza Shahabi"

To workers, labour organizations, media and judicial officials


Workers, people with social conscience!

Reza Shahabi a worker and board member of the Tehran bus drivers’ union, the Vahed Syndicate, is imprisoned since 12th of June 2010 due to defending his and other workers’ rights and demands in Tehran's Evin prison.

Additionally to his kidney and liver severe problems he is suffering extreme spinal column problems and he already lost the control on the left side of his body.  According to the physicians his left side might become paralyzed without hospitalization.

During the last 19-month his family members and children have been in the worst mental, physical and economic conditions. We contacted and also wrote over and over again to judicial and various authorities without any result, Reza is still in prison, his situation uncertain and his life at risk.

In protest against his condition Reza has gone on a hunger strike since November 22nd. 
We made all our efforts for his release during the last 19 months, but he is still imprisoned and in critical condition.
Reza believes that workers should only rely on labour solidarity and endeavors in this manner.

We, the family members and relatives of Reza Shahabi support Reza and his believes, we reach out our hands towards labour, labour activists and ask all to spend efforts for his unconditional and immediate release.
Hereby we announce the foundation of the "Committee for the Defense of Reza Shahabi" and ask everybody willing to enter or support this group to contact email below:

k.d.shahabi@gmail.com
k-d-shahabi.blogspot.com

Reza Shahabi Defense Committee - 3 December 2011
Shirin Shahabi - Mohammad Amin Shahabi - Robabeh Rezai - Maryam Ghassemlou - Nader Naderi - Hamid Rezai - Zahra Shahabi - Bahman Shahabi - Mehdi Shahabi - Asgar Shahabi - Qasim Shahabi

Die ITF ist besorgt über die Vorladung von Gewerkschafter im Iran

Press area

Concern over Iran bus union summonses

24 October 2011

The ITF has expressed concern over summonses to attend court issued to Seyed Davood Razavi, a former treasurer of the Tehran bus drivers’ union, the Vahed Syndicate, and to his fellow Vahed executive board member Yaghoub Salimi.

ITF general secretary David Cockroft explained: “We believe that Davood is likely to be questioned over some spurious charges dating back to 2007, of propaganda against regime, illegal gathering and endangering national security. Similar charges were made against Yaghoub.”

He continued:  “I think it’s clear that this treatment is not going to achieve anything, and we would strongly suggest to the authorities that they desist, reflect on how they finally saw sense by freeing Mansour Osanloo, and then also do the same for Reza Shahabi and Ebrahim Madadi.”

ENDS

For more information contact ITF press officer, Sam Dawson.
Direct line: + 44 (0)20 7940 9260.
Email: dawson_sam@itf.org.uk

International Transport Workers' Federation - ITF:
HEAD OFFICE