INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-IRAN:

FREEDOM FOR IRANIAN SUGAR UNION PRESIDENT:

The following appeal for solidarity with imprisoned Iranian unionists comes from the international union federation, the IUF.

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Four Iran Sugar Union Leaders Free but President Nejati Still in Prison and Facing Additional Sentence:
While 4 convicted leaders of the independent Haft Tapeh sugarworkers union in Iran have now been freed, President Ali Nejati remains in prison, where he could spend two years or more on charges of 'endangering national security'. Union Communications Officer Reza Rakhshan is stiill awaiting final sentencing for his conviction last year on similar charges.

Nejati (pictured at right) is currently serving a one-year sentence and faces an additional term of one year or more.

Gorban Alipour and Mohammad Heidari have been released after completing all or part of their sentences; Jali Ahmadi and Feridun Nikfar have been released conditionally on probation after partially serving their sentences.

Nothing has changed at Haft Tapeh, where workers have had to resort to spontaneous industrial action on several occasions since the union leaders were imprisoned in order to obtain payment of their wages.

The campaign for the Haft Tapeh workers will continue until:
*President Ali Nejati is released, his sentence annulled and all pending charges are dropped:
*all past and present charges against Reza Rakhshan are dropped;
*all Haft Tapeh union officers are immediately reinstated in their jobs, with full back pay;
*the government and the company recognize the Haft Tapeh Union as the workers' representative for collective bargaining, fully respecting all trade rights.

CLICK HERE to send a message to the Iranian state and judicial authorities. Your message will be conveyed to the Haft Tapeh workers.

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-IRAN:

IRANIAN SUGAR WORKERS STILL IMPRISONED:

Molly has blogged on the subject of the government repression of the Haft Tapeh sugar workers in Iran before. The following is an update on the situation from the international union federation, the IUF.

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Two Haft Tapeh Sugar Leaders Still Facing Lengthy Prison Terms in Iran - Act Now!:

Three of the leaders of the Haft Tapeh sugarworkers' union in Iran sentenced to prison earlier this year have had their sentences overturned on appeal.

However, Union president Ali Nejati and communications officer Reza Rekhshan still face prison sentences while their appeal process drags on - and their imprisonment would be a severe blow to the sugarworkers' struggle for an independent union. The charges against Rekhshan include providing information to foreign trade unionists on the horrendous working conditions at Haft Tapeh.

Ali Nejati has been denied work at Haft Tapeh since his April release from over a month's solitary confinement in an Intelligence detention center. Nejati has been generally blacklisted from all work in the city of Shush and the situation for him and his family is becoming increasingly desperate.

Thousands of trade union rights supporters around the world have protested the repression against the Haft Tapeh union and its leaders. Ali Nejati was adopted as a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International following the Haft Tapeh court convictions. International protests presumably played a role in influencing the decision of the appeals court to dismiss the ludicrous charges including "undermining national security."

Pressure is now urgently needed on the Iranian authorities to overturn the convictions of Ali Nejati and Reza Rekhshan - 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 and immediately reinstate Ali Nejati at his job! Some intended recipients' messages may be rejected due to server overload - others will get through, however.

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.

Since September 9 over 500 workers have been on strike at Haft Tapeh demanding the restoration of the monthly overtime which management has cut from 120 to 40 hours. So low is the base wage that workers have to put in up to 120 additional hours per month to ensure minimal survival for themselves and their families. Cutters harvesting cane by hand in blistering heat work 6 months out of the year alternating with 6 months unemployment without compensation.

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THE LETTER:

Please go to THIS LINK to send the following letter to the Iranian authorities.

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To His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei - Leader of the Islamic Republic

To the Minister of Justice His Excellency Ali Larijani

To the Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi - Head of the Judiciary

To the Ambassador, Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations Institutions in Geneva
Dear Sirs
I am deeply concerned to learn that serious charges against two elected officers of the Haft Tapeh sugarworkers union, Ali Nejati and Reza Rekhshan, remain in force despite the fact that similar charges against other union officers were overturned on August 18 by the Dezful Branch 2 Court. The charges against Ali Nejati and Reza Rekhshan are as groundless as those which have been overturned in the case of the other Haft Tapeh officers, and there can be no justification for further delay in unconditionally annulling all charges. We also bring to your attention the fact that Ali Nejati has been refused employment at Haft Tapeh since his release from prison - a gross violation of fundamental human rights, and demand his immediate reinstatement.
Yours sincerely

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-IRAN:

IRANIAN GOVERNMENT STEPS UP REPRESSION AGAINST INDEPENDENT SUGAR WORKERS' UNION:

The following story and appeal is from the international union federation, the IUF.

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UPDATE!

Union President Under Arrest, Whereabouts Unknown as Iran's Government Steps up Repression of Independent Sugar Union - Act Now!:

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The March 8 arrest of the Haft Tapeh sugar workers' union President Ali Nejati marks a further escalation in government repression against the independent union . Nejati is one of the 5 union leaders who were arrested in December 2008 and charged with "endangering national security" and "anti-government propaganda". They still await sentencing from the trial which ended on February 17, Haft Tapeh Executive Board member Rahim Beshag and 6 other union officers were arrested and detained between February 22 and March 3, 2009, but all were subsequently released on bail by March 7. Four of them were tried with Ali Nejati on February 17 and 23, on similar charges.

Nejati's home was raided by Ministry of Intelligence Officers on February 28 and union materials confiscated. Since his arrest, family members have not been able to contact or visit him and his whereabouts are unknown.

The government stepped up its attacks on the union following a low turnout for the February 24 election to the Haft Tapeh "Islamic Labour Council" ordered by the Ministry of labour. Independent unions are proscribed in Iran, and defending workers' employment conditions does not fall within the remit of the Islamic Labour Councils, whose tasks are defined in Iranian law as essentially religious in addition to "defending the achievements of the Islamic Revolution."

Escalating repression against the Haft Tapeh workers has been accompanied by reports of new harassment against other independent trade union and labour rights activists, presumably to create a climate of fear in advance of May Day and the presidential elections scheduled for June 12. International pressure is urgently needed to press the government to free all the Haft Tapeh leaders. CLICK HERE to send a message to the Iranian state and judicial authorities, calling on them to immediately and unconditionally drop all charges against Ali Nejati and the other Haft Tapeh union leaders.

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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THE LETTER:

Please see "CLICK HERE" above to send the following letter to Iranian governmental and judicial authorities.

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To His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei - Leader of the Islamic Republic

To Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi - Head of the Judiciary

To the Ambassador, Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations Institutions in Geneva

To Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki
Dear Sirs
I am deeply concerned that five leaders of the trade union of workers at the Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Plantation and Industry Company in Shush were charged on 20 December 2008 with acting against national security as a result of their trade union activity. The five men are: Ali Nejati, Feridoun Nikoufard, Mohammed Heydari Mehr, Ghorban Alipour and Jalil Ahmadi. I believe that these charges are groundless, and that the defendants are on trial for attempting to exercise their basic human rights. I am also shocked to learn that 7 other Haft Tapeh leaders were arrested between February 22 and March 3, that Union President Ali Nejati was arrested on March 8, and that his current whereabouts are unknown even to his family. I believe that these trade union officers are innocent and that all charges must be dropped immediately and unconditionally.

I support the ongoing international campaign by trade unions and human rights activists to promote and defend workers’ rights in Iran and will closely follow developments in this campaign.
Yours sincerely