INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-IRAN:
MORE IRANIAN UNIONISTS JAILED:
Molly has blogged many times before about the situation of workers in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and, in particular about the workers at the Haft Tapeh sugar plantation/refining complex. Here, from the online labour solidarity site Labour Start, is yet another appeal for solidarity for workers sentenced to jail in yet another example about the holy/unholy alliance of the ruling mullahs and the bosses of Iran.
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Iran: Union leaders sentenced to prison - call for global campaign of solidarity:
In a drive to destroy the independent union at the giant Haft Tapeh plantation/refining sugar complex in southern Iran, a court on October 12 sentenced six union leaders to prison on charges of "endangering national security."
Iran: Union leaders sentenced to prison - call for global campaign of solidarity:
In a drive to destroy the independent union at the giant Haft Tapeh plantation/refining sugar complex in southern Iran, a court on October 12 sentenced six union leaders to prison on charges of "endangering national security."
Their only crime was to lead a strike.
Haft Tapeh workers have repeatedly had to resort to strikes and other actions to claim huge wage arrears and protest deteriorating working conditions.
"The regime is clearly determined to crush the union by putting its entire leadership behind bars," writes the IUF, the global union federation for food workers.
They've launched an online campaign of protest. Please take a moment and send off your messages:
To learn more about the case, read this:
There's full coverage of Iranian labour news on LabourStart, here: http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/show_news.pl?country=Iran&langcode=en
Thanks for your support.
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Here's the article and appeal from the IUF referred to above. You can send a letter/email to the Iranian authorities using either the links above or the links in the following article.
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Sugar Union Leaders Sentenced to Prison in Iran - Act Now!:
Posted to the IUF website 26-Oct-2009
In a drive to destroy the independent union established last year by workers at the giant Haft Tapeh plantation/refining sugar complex in southern Iran, a court on October 12 sentenced 6 union leaders to immediate prison terms on charges stemming from October 2007. Three leaders convicted for their union activity last year for "endangering national security" in connection with worker action in 2008 had their sentences overturned on appeal in September. Two union officers, president Ali Nejati and communications officer Reza Rakhshan, both of whom face lengthy prison sentences, were still awaiting the outcome of their appeal when the court in the city of Dezful sentenced the six leaders on the similar 2007 charges.
Ghorban Alipour, Feridoun Nikoufard, Jalil Ahmadi, Nejat Dehli and Ali Nejati were all sentenced to 6 months' immediate imprisonment and 6 months suspended sentences over 5 years; during which time they are barred from union activity. Mohammad Heydari Mehr received a 4 month term, 8 months suspended. Ali Nejati must serve his suspended sentence as prison time, meaning he faces an immediate one-year prison term. Should he lose his appeal on the 2008 conviction, his sentence could stretch to over 2 years.
Haft Tapeh workers in recent years have repeatedly had to resort to strikes and other actions to claim huge wage arrears and protest deteriorating working conditions. The union was officially founded in June 2008 following a 42-day strike to demand long-standing arrears. The Haft Tapeh union is an IUF affiliate.
Haft Tapeh president Nejati has been refused work at Haft Tapeh and blacklisted from all work in the region since being released in April from a month in solitary confinement in an intelligence detention center. The other Haft Tapeh leaders sentence on October 12 have now also been turned away from their work and instructed to report to prison.
The regime is clearly determined to crush the union by putting its entire leadership behind bars.
The fate of imprisoned transport and teachers' union activists shows that the Haft Tapeh prisoners risk prolonged physical and psychological abuse. The IUF urges all defenders of democratic and trade union rights to mobilize in their defense.
Act Now! - CLICK HERE to send a message to the Iranian state and judicial authorities, calling on them to immediately and unconditionally annul the sentences against the Haft Tapeh unionists! Please note that some messages may bounce back - do not be discouraged! Server overload is a common condition in Iran - some messages will get through, making the point that the persecuted trade unionists enjoy international support. The Haft Tapeh union leaders are also supported by Amnesty International.
You can also send a message to the Iranian embassy or diplomatic representation in your country - or pay them a visit! A complete list of embassies/consulates is available here, and you can generally find e-mail addresses by searching the internet for the individual representation in your country.
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