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IASWI

International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran

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IASWI > Blog > Breaking news > A Call for urgent action by Tehran bus workers’ union: Reza Shahabi’s life endangered by his continued confinement!
Breaking newsIran Reports

A Call for urgent action by Tehran bus workers’ union: Reza Shahabi’s life endangered by his continued confinement!

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posted on Dec. 17, 2017 at 9:09 pm

Original text: http://vahedsyndica.com/archive/3052

 

Open letter from “Tehran bus workers’ syndicate” to workers and labour organizations in Iran and around the world.

Reza Shahabi’s life endangered by his continued confinement!

Tehran bus workers’ syndicate is urging all workers and labour organizations in Iran and throughout the world to utilize their maximum capacity for saving Reza Shahabi’s life!

Tehran’s Bus Workers Syndicate has been a target of perpetual harassment and persecution since its re-establishment in 2005, with many of our members either incarcerated or expelled from work. Reza Shahabi, a member of Vahed syndicate’s board of directors, was incarcerated in June 2010 and due to severe beatings by intelligence agents during his arrest and interrogations he had to go through two massive operations for his neck and spinal cord, hence spending some of his sentence on medical leave. While Reza Shahabi’s six-year prison sentence had already been ended, yet Tehran District Attorney claimed that a three months leave was not officially approved and he has to return to jail because of it. Shahabi agreed to return to prison for three months to prevent the confiscation of his surety’s property; however, after his re-incarceration on August 9, 2017, officials declared his entire medical leave as absence and informed him that he would have to spend 968 additional days in prison. This is while Shahabi’s sentence was completed and he has seen the letter of his release, issued on August 23, 2015, in his file.  After a 50-day hunger strike by Reza Shahabi, which led to widespread protests in Iran and around the world, intelligence and judicial authorities promised to Shahabi’s family that they would urgently address his demands, but in recent weeks they have been pressuring Shahabi into acceding to end his trade union activity and his efforts in defense of workers’ rights. Shahabi, however, has resisted such pressures and steadfastly been insisting on his stance, which is the rights of workers for independent labour organization and unions, and has not succumbed under all the harassments and persecution imposed on him while incarcerated.

At the last visitation of Reza Shahabi’s family with him on 13 December 2017, the left side of his face was droopy and he had sunken eyes. Prison doctor has told him that he has had a minor stroke, but he wasn’t even moved to a hospital for examination and treatment until December 16th. Although prior to his minor stroke, doctors had warned that Shahabi is in no condition to endure another round of incarceration and there were specific requests from doctors recommending his freedom, not only he was not released but he has had a stroke in jail. It should be emphasized that Reza Shahabi is also experiencing constant high blood pressures and frequent nosebleeds in prison. He is suffering from severe and continuous headaches, numbness in his feet, and his kidneys are infected causing in frequent urination.

Vahed syndicate is seriously concerned about Reza Shahabi’s health and wellbeing. There is a great possibility that if Shahabi is not released very soon his health would be significantly deteriorating and his life will be in grave danger. The continuation of the unjust and illegal incarceration of Reza Shahabi is nothing less than hostage taking, and a blatant assault on his basic human rights and a violation of all conventions of International Labor Organization concerning the freedom of association and autonomous worker activism. Therefore, we urge all workers and labour organizations in Iran and throughout the world for immediate and emergency actions to fully utilize their capacities to save Reza Shahabi’s life and secure his immediate and unconditional release.  Vahed Syndicate holds all government officials, especially the intelligence and judicial authorities, accountable for Reza Shahabi’s health and wellbeing.

In hope of strengthening workers’ solidarity around the world!

Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (Vahed Syndicate)

December 17, 2017 (Azar 26, 1396)

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.vahedsyndica.com

Telegram: @vahedsyndica 

Syndicat des travailleurs de la régie des transports de Téhéran et sa banlieue (Vahed)

Lettre aux Travailleurs et aux organisations ouvrières de l’Iran et du monde

Reza SHAHABI est en danger de mort en prison !

Le syndicat Vahed invite tous les travailleurs et organisations ouvrières d’Iran et du monde entier à faire tout leur possible pour sauver la vie de Reza SHAHABI !

Depuis 2005, date de la réorganisation des activités de notre syndicat, ce dernier est toujours réprimé et beaucoup de ses membres ont été licenciés ou emprisonnés. Reza Shahabi, membre du Conseil d’administration du syndicat a été arrêté en juin 2010. Il a dû subir deux interventions chirurgicales du dos et du cou, en raison de mauvais traitements des agents de la sécurité gouvernementale.

Après avoir effectué une partie de sa peine en prison, Reza a pu être libéré provisoirement pour raisons médicales. Bien qu’il ait été déjà emprisonné six ans, le procureur de Téhéran l’a fait revenir en prison sous prétexte que les 3 mois de liberté conditionnelle n’ont pas été approuvés par le tribunal. Reza Shahabi a donc été obligé de retourner en prison pour que les biens de la personne qui s’était portée garante lors de sa libération provisoire ne soient pas confisqués.

Mais, à nouveau emprisonné le 9 août 2017, les autorités ont déclaré qu’il devait passer 968 jours en prison, c’est-à-dire en incluant la totalité du temps passé hors des murs de la prison pour raison médicale. Pourtant, il avait pu voir que figurait dans son dossier la décision de considérer qu’il avait effectué la totalité de sa peine le 15 septembre 2015, et de le libérer ce jour là.

Pour protester contre cette situation, Reza a entamé une grève de la faim. Au bout de 50 jours, et en raison des protestations d’envergure en Iran et dans le monde, les autorités judiciaires et sécuritaires ont promis à sa famille de traiter favorablement son dossier dans les meilleurs délais. Mais, ces dernières semaines, les autorités ont renforcé leurs pressions sur Reza pour qu’il accepte d’abandonner toute activité syndicale une fois libéré. Evidemment, Reza Shahabi a refusé de se plier aux exigences injustes des autorités en invoquant le droit des travailleurs à s’organiser au sein d’organisations syndicales indépendantes.

Lors de sa dernière visite, le 13 décembre, sa famille a constaté que Shahabi souffrait d’une paralysie faciale qui a affecté un côté de son visage et un œil. Le médecin de la prison les a informé qu’il a été victime d’une légère attaque cérébrale sans qu’il soit pour autant hospitalisé. Trois jours plus tard, le 15 décembre on l’a emmené à l’hôpital de la prison ! Les médecins avaient ultérieurement décidé de confirmer que Reza ne pouvait pas physiquement supporter l’emprisonnement et avaient demandé sa libération, Malgré cela, Réza n’avait pas été libéré, et il avait été victime d’une attaque cérébrale en prison. De plus, Reza souffre d’hypertension et a été souvent victime d’hémorragie en prison. Actuellement, il soufre de migraines douloureuses, et une partie de ses jambes sont paralysées. Il souffre également d’insuffisance rénale et de problèmes urinaires.

Le syndicat Vahed est très préoccupé par l’état de santé de Reza Shahabi. Il est fort probable que s’il n’est pas immédiatement libéré pour recevoir les soins médicaux appropriés, son état de santé s’aggravera et sa vie sera réellement en danger. Nous constatons que son emprisonnement injuste et illégal ressemble à une prise d’otage. Elle constitue aussi une violation des droits humains élémentaire. Elle est également en contradiction avec toutes les conventions internationales de l’OIT concernant la liberté d’organisation de syndicats indépendants du pouvoir. Nous demandons d’urgence à tous les ouvriers et à toutes les organisations de travailleurs d’Iran et du reste du monde d’agir avec toutes leurs forces pour la libération immédiatement et sans condition de SHAHABI, et en particulier pour sauver sa vie. Le Syndicat Vahed estime que l’ensemble des autorités du Régime Islamique, en particulier  celles ayant la responsabilité des systèmes judiciaire et de sécuritaire sont responsables de la vie et la sécurité de Reza SHAHABI.

Vive la solidarité internationale des travailleurs !

Syndicat des travailleurs de la régie des transports de Téhéran et sa banlieue

17 Décembre 2017

Téhéran

Iran

[email protected]

www.vahedsyndica.com

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About

The International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI) was formed in 1999 in Toronto-Canada and formally announced its formation in January 2000. In nearly two decades of continuous activism, we have played an impactful role in securing international support for Iranian workers’ struggles against the Islamic Republic of Iran, employers, and the inhumane conditions the capitalist order has imposed on working-class lives in Iran. During these years, our politics and the foundational basis guiding our activism have been predicated on working-class traditions with an uncompromising emphasis on working-class independence and autonomy.

Objectives

  • To support workers’ struggle in Iran for better working conditions and living standards;
  • To advocate for workers’ movement demands in Iran, including the right to organize free and independent labour organizations and the right to strike;
  • To strive for an absolute end to the systematic repression, persecution, imprisonment, torture, assassination and execution of labour activists and political opponents in Iran;
  • To promote the implementation and enforcement of internationally recognized human and workers’ rights and freedoms for all people in Iran.

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