To labour and human rights organizations!

I am writing this letter to thank you all for your efforts to help free my dear partner, Mahmoud Salehi. You might have been informed that the health condition of Mahmoud is getting worse on a daily basis. The judicial and intelligent authorities, despite knowing that one of his kidneys doesn’t work and the other hardly functions, have deprived Mahmoud of any appropriate medical treatment.  By doing this, they are practically torturing him to death. This way, they intend to break his solid resolve in defense of workers’ rights in Iran. Since Mahmoud was arrested on April 9^th, till now, the judicial authorities have been frustrating all efforts of Mahmoud’s lawyer, me and the freedom-loving and pro workers’ rights people to release and medically treat Mahmoud. They intend to show to all labour activists that their activities for the realization of workers’ rights and against capitalists would cost them greatly. They are vainly taking the advantage of Mahmoud’s illness to put more pressures on him in order to stop him from organizing workers.  They are hoping this way they could discourage other labour activists in their efforts in organizing independent labour organizations. Mahmoud is, as always, firm in his justice seeking stance.  While I am praising his feisty spirit, I am compelled to express my serious concerns regarding Mahmoud’s health. According to the medical doctors that I have been consulting, Mahmoud’s remaining kidney is loosing its function. Mahmoud’s life is in danger now, and it requires great efforts for his freedom and facilitating the possibility for his medical treatment. Please increase your pressures on judicial and executive authorities of Iran.

Yours truly,

Najibeh Salehzadeh

June 3, 2007

1386/03/13