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Day of action to free Iranian labor
activists planned
8.8.2007
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August 8, 2007
Newsdesk, -- Trade unions are planning a day
of action in support of two jailed labor activists
in Iran, Radio Farda reported.
The head of the Tehran bus drivers' union, Mansur
Osanlu, was detained on July 10, while labor
activist Mahmud Salehi was detained on April 9 in
Iran's western Kurdistan Province.
The director of human and trade-union rights at the
Brussels-based International Confederation of Free
Trade Unions (ICFTU), Janek Kuczkiewicz, today told
Radio Farda that the group is calling on its
affiliates worldwide to protest on August 9 against
the activists' detentions. Kuczkiewicz said the
union affiliates will demonstrate in front of the
Iranian embassies in their countries, request
meetings with Iranian diplomats, and hand in letters
of protest.
Kuczkiewicz said his group is "extremely worried"
about the health of both detainees. He said that
both Osanlu and Salehi have "serious medical
conditions" and are "deprived of any sort of contact
with their lawyers and with their families." |
Mahmud Salehi, has a history of arrests for his
labor activism. rferl |
Kuczkiewicz called on the Iranian government to
produce concrete evidence that both men are in good
health and have access to legal defense.
The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF)
has said Osanlu's imprisonment was the latest step
in a two-year government campaign against him and
his union. The London-based organization says union
meetings have been "brutally" broken up, and Osanlu
and his supporters have been repeatedly jailed and
beaten.
Amnesty International Joins Call
Amnesty International issued a statement today in
which it says it "joins voices with the ITUC
(International Trade Union Confederation) and ITF in
calling for [Osanlu and Salehi] to be released
immediately and for any charges that have been
leveled against them in connection with their
peaceful and legitimate trades union work to be
dropped."
Amnesty International calls the two labor activists'
work "testimony to the engagement of trades
unionists in reaching beyond discriminatory
practices, for the benefit of workers and for all of
Iran, and above all, for the advancement of human
rights in Iran."
rferl org
Iranian Kurdistan
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Iranian Kurdistan (Kurdish: Kurdistana Îranę or
Kurdistana Rojhilat (Eastern Kurdistan) or Rojhilatę
Kurdistan (East of Kurdistan)) is an unofficial name
for the parts of Iran inhabited by Kurds and has
borders with Iraq and Turkey. It includes the
greater parts of West Azerbaijan province, Kurdistan
Province, Kermanshah Province, and Ilam Province.
Kurds form the majority of the population of this
region with an estimated population of 4 million.
The region is the eastern part of the greater
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