Iran has witnessed the imposition of a wave of unprecedented restrictions\u00a0on the legitimate trade union activities of workers syndicates since the beginning of this year.\u00a0On\u00a028\u00a0April,\u00a0MaziarGilani-Nejad, a member of\u00a0the Union of\u00a0Metalworkers and Mechanics of Iran (UMMI), was summoned to appear beforethe Revolutionary Court. He\u00a0was subsequently acquitted of the charges against him.\u00a0Shahpour\u00a0Ehsani-Rad, a member of the Free Trade Union of Iran, received a prison term along with a sentence of lashing. Bail\u00a0providers\u00a0for\u00a0Ja\u2019far\u00a0Azimzadeh,\u00a0of the Free Trade Union of Iran, and Mahmoud BeheshtiLangaroudi,\u00a0of the Iranian Teachers\u2019 Trade Association, have also been\u00a0placed under pressure \u2013 through the threat of unilateral court seizure of the sums put up for bail \u2013 so as to force these trade unionists to return to prison. This has been aptly illustrated in the case of Reza Shahabi, a member of the Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran Bus\u00a0Company,\u00a0who\u00a0has already been forced to return to jail despite being informed his sentence had in fact been completely served.<\/p>\n
Hamid Sharghi, another member of the UMMI, is currently on bail awaiting trial. Meanwhile, Esmail Abdi has been intimidated into returning to prison to continue his cruel six-year sentence and Ali Akbar Baghani, a member of Tehran Teachers\u2019 Association, remains in internal exile. Ebrahim Madadi and DavoudRazavi, members of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran Vahed Bus Company, have also been made aware of warrants for their arrest. Such are the conditions and breath-taking cruelty of this situation that Esmail Abdi and Reza Shahabi have recently gone on hunger strike in protest.<\/p>\n
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All\u00a0activists in the labour movement are trying hard to improve the conditions of the toiling workers \u2013 at no beneficial interest to themselves personally \u2013 continuing a struggle that threatens the interests of capitalism and its foreign agents. All of these activists believe that the living conditions\u00a0of teachers, workers and other\u00a0people should be improved through the\u00a0correct and fair distribution of\u00a0wealth within the country. Education and health should be\u00a0freely provided.\u00a0Legislation must be in the interests of all people and not just favour a certain group. Freedom of assembly, association and\u00a0speech must be allowed for the masses. Persecution and harassment\u00a0of those active and struggling\u00a0for the rights\u00a0of workers, women, students, teachers, nurses, and other paid\u00a0workers, should be\u00a0made illegal.<\/p>\n
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Articles\u00a03, 19, 23, 26, 27, 29, 30, and 31 of the Iranian Constitution guarantee the legitimacy of\u00a0the aforementioned demands. We insist on the \u201c\u2026\u00a0elimination of\u00a0any intellectual and social\u00a0oppression\u00a0and\u00a0monopolising\u00a0economy, removing tyranny\u00a0and transferring the fate of the people\u00a0into their own hands \u2026\u201d (Preface to the Constitution) and we emphasise that \u201c\u2026 no one has the right to\u00a0negate and deny legitimate freedoms misusing the concept of defending the independence and integrity of the country\u201d\u00a0(Article 9 of the Constitution).<\/p>\n
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We demand compliance with the law and the release of all prisoners of conscience,including those of the\u00a0labour movement,\u00a0and we emphasise that\u00a0the responsibility for the wellbeing of the trade unionists\u00a0remains with the authorities who issue such sentences.\u00a0We call on\u00a0the International Trade Union movement\u00a0and in particular our brothers in the IndustriALL global union\u00a0to help\u00a0Iranian trade unionists\u00a0by insisting that the Iranian authorities fully implement ILO Conventions 87 and 98 to the spirit in which they were conceived. We also call upon this powerful global movement to actively\u00a0support the\u00a0campaign for the release of Esmail Abdi and Reza Shahabi.<\/p>\n
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Threats, arrests, and even violent treatment, cannot keep us from the path we\u00a0have\u00a0chosen. As we have shown to date,\u00a0we\u00a0steadfastly\u00a0defend our principles and will do our utmost to realise the aforementioned demands for the\u00a0release\u00a0of\u00a0our comrades.<\/p>\n
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Hardship, danger, death, victory and setback are all natural and possible \u2013 however, there will not be any retreat from the workers\u2019 ideals.<\/p>\n
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The Union of Metalworkers and Mechanics\u00a0of Iran<\/p>\n
30 August 2017<\/p>\n