(In front of the Palais des Nations-Geneva)
Against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its agents who are attending the International Labour Conference as “Workers’ Delegates”?
Free All Jailed Worker Activists Now!
Monday, June 6, 2016 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
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Under the Islamic Republic of Iran the situation of workers and the majority of people in Iran have been worsening significantly. Thousands of Political prisoners have been executed, tens of thousands labour, political and social activists have been prosecuted, tortured and endured lengthy prison sentences, and many have lost their jobs and livelihood. There is absolutely no freedom of expression in the country unless you belong to one of the factions of the Islamic regime. Job security has completely diminished, and for more than 90 percent of the workforce precarious contracts and temporary jobs have become the bitter reality. Poverty level has expanded and includes many sections of the working class including teachers and other public employees. None payment of wage, ever-growing child labour, political repression, arrests, and systematic imprisoning of labour activists who struggle for the most basic and internationally recognized rights of the workers, suppression of women’s rights and severe discrimination against migrant workers particular Afghan immigrants continue incessantly in Iran.
Within such context, we are witnessing that each year representatives of the capitalist Islamic regime of Iran attend the International Labour Conference as “worker representatives”. This is while real worker’ representatives are in jails or continually harassed and prosecuted. The right to organize and strike is denied by the regime and all independent worker organizations are tyrannized.
We are calling on all workers’ and progressive organizations internationally to protest against the continued violation of workers’ rights in Iran, and to pressure ILO to break its inaction and collaboration with these government-sponsored agencies and take all necessary measures in support of the rights and demands of the Iranian labour movement and the genuine workers’ organizations in Iran.
We demand:
– Unconditional freedom of all incarcerated workers; including Jafar Azimzadeh, Behnam Ebrahimzadeh and Mohammad Jarahi.
– The immediate withdrawal of all charges against labour activists in Iran including security charges against well-known labour activists and teachers such as Mahmoud Salehi, Reza Shahabi, Davood Razavi, Ebrahim Madadi, Esmail Abdi, Mahmoud Beheshti Langroodi and other arrested and prosecuted workers.
– An international investigation by the international workers’ organizations in order to investigate the killing of the renowned labour activist, Shahrokh Zamani, in Gohardasht prison on September 13, 2015 and to examine the workers’ situation in Iran without any restrictions by the Iranian regime.
– Expulsion from International Labour Organization of the so called “worker representatives” sent by the Regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the name of workers, i.e. “High Center for Islamic Labour Councils” and “Workers House’, “High Assembly of the Workers’ Representatives” and “High Centre of Workers’ Guild Societies”. Only the genuine workers’ representatives’ must be invited to the ILO conferences and other international labour gatherings.
– The rights of the immigrant workers are to be recognized in Iran and the mistreatment, and abuse of Afghan workers residing in Iran must be stopped.
– Recognition of all of the internationally recognized workers rights including the right to organize, strike, freedom of expression and independent celebration of the International Workers’ Day.
– Recognition of equal right for women and an end to all forms of discrimination and social, economic and political inequality in workplaces and the society at large against women.
– Application of all international conventions on forbidding child labour; and condemning the Islamic Republic of Iran for the violation of all international conventions including conventions on child protection, women’s rights, and the right to organize.
International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI)
Solidarity Committees with Iranian Workers’ Movement-Abroad