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Iranian court sentences Kurdistan province
labor activists to prison
18.8.2007
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August
18, 2007
Iranian Kurdistan, -- A court in Iran's
western Kurdistan Province has sentenced two labor
activists to 2 1/2 years in prison following
convictions for national-security offenses, Radio
Farda reported.
Sheys Amani and Sedigh Karimi were found guilty of
security charges that include ties to banned
opposition groups.
The two have rejected the charges. They have 20 days
to appeal their sentences.
Jafar Azimzadeh, the spokesman for an Iran-based
group set up to defend the unemployed, told Radio
Farda that the men are among the leaders of the
labor movement in Iranian Kurdistan.
Azimzadeh said he thinks they are being punished
because of their human rights activities.
"The government of the Islamic Republic [of Iran]
has been linking the leaders of the workers movement
and activists to [banned] parties and charging them
with disrupting public order and acting against
national security," Azimzadeh said.
"These two have done nothing but defend their
rights. [Officials] wants the leaders of the
workers' movement to remain at home; [officials]
take these measures so that workers cannot defend
their rights."
Radio Farda reports that in recent months, Iranian
authorities have increased pressure on workers who
protest for better wages and improved working
conditions.
Last week, an international day of protest was held
in a number of countries to highlight the cases of
jailed Iranian labor leaders Mansur Osanlu and
Mahmud Salehi.
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
cultural-geographical area called Kurdistan.
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