In a protest letter to the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran, CUPE National is calling for an end to persecution of Reza Shahabi and other labour activists in Iran: Click here:
Canadian Union of Public Employees: Reza Shahabi must not return to prison!
Please use the sample protest letter below to continue to pressure the Iranian government authorities for the freedom of Reza Shahabi and other workers and labour activists in Iran:
Sample Protest letter:
We are writing this to express our serious concerns about the renewed attempt by the Iranian judiciary and intelligence to force Reza Shahabi back to prison.
Reza Shahabi is currently on bail. He is at the risk of arrest and imprisonment at any time to serve the remainder of his 6 year sentence (he has three months left according to the claims made by the authorities). Reza Shahabi’s surety has also been threatened that she would lose her home if Reza Shahabi is not returned to prison. A new imprisonment would endanger his health in view of the serious illnesses he is suffering from.
Mr. Reza Shahabi, a board member of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, was arrested in June 2010 while he was on the job, driving a bus; he was violently assaulted in front of bus riders and incarcerated in Evin prison’s ward 209. After spending nineteen months in solitary confinement he was given six years of jail sentence, banned from any union activities for five years and a financial fine of seven million Tomans by branch 15 of the revolutionary court. Due to extensive physical stress and tortures during interrogations, Mr. Shahabi suffered from back and neck dislocation and had to go under surgery twice. After enduring prison for five years he has been under medical leave of absence based on coroner’s recommendation.
A return to detention of Reza Shahabi, unjustly convicted for his trade union activity, would be only a further violation of international conventions and a violation of human rights.
Reza Shahabi must not return to prison! We are calling for an end to persecution and jail sentences against Reza Shahabi and for his immediate and unconditional freedom. We are also calling on the Iranian government authorities to put an end to persecution of labour activists in Iran and withdrawal of all charges against other members of Tehran bus workers’ union including Ebrahim Madadi and Davood Razavi.
PLEASE SEND protest letters to:
· Leader of the Islamic Republic, Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei
Twitter: @khamenei_ir (English) or @Khamenei_fa (Persian)
Email: [email protected]
· President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hassan Rouhani
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @HassanRouhani (English) and
@Rouhani_ir (Persian)
· Secretary General of the High Council for Human Rights; Email: [email protected];
· Ministry of Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare: [email protected];
· Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations
Email: [email protected];
IRI’s Ministry of Justice: [email protected];
IRI’s Parliament: [email protected];