Iran continues to oppress union activists

Razani and Kheirabadi

From Labour Start

“Repression against labour activists in Iran is intensifying. In recent weeks, there have been numerous cases of arrests and jailings. Most shocking perhaps was the sentencing of two women labour activists (Sousan Razani and Shiva Kheirabadi, pictured) to 15 lashes and four months in prison -- for the "crime" of participating in a May Day celebration.

Additional cases which concern us include:

Mr. Abdullah Khani, 40 lashes and 91 days in prison
Mr. Seyed Qaleb Hosseini, 50 lashes and 6 months in prison
Mr. Khaled Hosseini, 30 lashes and suspended prison sentence
Mr. Farzad Kamangar, a Kurdish teacher, sentenced to death
Mr. Afshin Shams, arrested
Mr. Mansour Osanloo, leader of Tehran's bus workers, in prison since July 2007

We call on the Iranian government to immediately release these prisoners and to cease all repression of labour activists.”

Two days ago Labour Start announced
that. Sousan Razani’s sentence had been increased to 9 months in prison and 70 lashes.

There are many things wrong with this country but I know I am not going to be imprisoned and beaten for attending a May Day celebration. If you are a Trade Unionist (or if you aren’t) you can register your protest at the above link. It may look on the surface like an empty gesture but international pressure can and does work.

Zimbabwe: Solidarity with Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions - for human rights and the rule of law

Laboutstart has launched a campaign to show support for our brothers and sisters in the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (see below).

The crisis in Zimbabwe has its origins in President Mugabe's autocratic regime and its mismanagement of the economy. Since the disputed re-election of President Mugabe in 2002, there has been a steady deterioration in human rights and the economy, reducing Zimbabwe to a land of penury and starvation. In 2005, more than 30,000 arrests were made and hundreds of urban dwellings were demolished under the guise of "a clean-up campaign" aimed at workers in the informal economy who had been increasingly turning to the trade unions. In September 2006, a large number of trade unionists and human rights activists were arrested and brutally assaulted following a peaceful protest over the state of the economy and shortages of essential medicines. Alarmed at the growing willingness to oppose the regime openly, including from within the ruling ZANU-PF party, the regime has banned political protests for three months, especially to prevent protests against the Government's economic failures. But the ZCTU and others have responded by stepping up their criticisms and protests, and a general strike has been announced for 3-4 April. Over the weekend of 10-11 March, the security services violently attacked opposition leaders and on 13 March, raided the offices of the ZCTU to seize materials about the strike.

Click here to register your support