News and Reports-Workers’ Struggles in Iran-
Updates as of November 28, 2008- IASWI
· Labourstart Act NOW! Save the life of Farzad Kamangar: http://www.labourstart.org/farzad
· Latest updates about Farzad Kamangar:
Farzad Kamangar's death sentence has not been executed. But 10 people were executed by hanging, amongst them Fatemeh Haghighat-Pajuh
· Five leaders of Hafteh Tapeh Workers’ Syndicate summoned to court
· Message of CGT de France to the comrades of the Haft Tapeh Workers’ Syndicate
· Security Forces shut down the office of the Society for Defence of Street & Working Children in Tehran
· Appeal in support of Alborz (Kiyan) workers
· Solidarity message to The Australian Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union
Labourstart Act NOW!
Save the life of Farzad Kamangar: http://www.labourstart.org/farzad
Please join with the thousands of trade unionists and human rights defenders around the world who are mobilizing in defence of Farzad Kamangar, an Iranian Kurdish teacher and trade unionist who is at risk of execution.
http://www.labourstart.org/farzad
Also the Education International’s online campaign:
http://www.ei-ie.org/form/20080818_en.php
Latest Updates about Farzad Kamangar:
Human Rights Activists in Iran reported that Farzad Kamangar's death sentence has not been executed. But 10 people were executed by hanging, amongst them Fatemeh Haghighat-Pajuh
According to a statement issued by the Human Rights Activists in Iran, after news and speculations about Kamangar's execution on Wednesday, November 26, 2008, security forces allowed Kamangar's lawyer, Mr Khalil Bahramian, to visit Kamanger in jail and whilst Kamangar's interrogator was present too.
They also allowed Kamangar to have a telephone conversation with his family. Kamangar reported that a day before he had been beaten and then transferred to a solitary cell in section 240 of Evin prison [transferring to solitary cell, at times, is the primary action before executing a prisoner who is under death sentence]. Kamangar had been in solitary cell in section 209 for weeks, but changing his cell under the above conditions has been alarming. He has been transferred to his old solitary cell in section 209. Kamangar, in his restricted visit with his lawyer, has told that his health condition was good.
It is important to report that on Wednesday at dawn about 10 people with “non-political” convictions (like “homicide” and “kidnapping”, etc.) were executed by hanging amongst them was a woman named Fatemeh Haghighat-Pajuh, who was sentenced to death for the murder of her husband who was a drug addict who had tried to rape her daughter from a previous marriage, who was 15 years old at the time. According to various reports he had told Fatemeh that he had lost Fatemeh’s 15 year old daughter in a gambling match. Despite international campaigns by human rights’ and anti-capital punishment activists, Fatemeh was executed on November 26, 2008.
Human Rights Activists in Iran also reports that the city of Kamyaran, Farzad’s hometown and where some of his family members reside, has been under the heavy control of security forces. Many residents after finding out about the possibility of Kamangar’s execution gathered in various places and consequently there were clashes between people and security forces. People are been visiting Farzad’s mother’s residence to express solidarity and support.
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Five leaders of Hafteh Tapeh Workers’ Syndicate summoned to court
Memers of the Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Workers’ Syndicate were informed by their lawyer Mr. Fakhrodini, that five leaders of the Haft Tapeh Syndicate have been summoned to the Islamic Revolution Court in city of Dezful on December 20, 2008. These labour leaders, whose names are as follows, were arrested or summoned to court numerous times during last year’s strikes and protests and have been released on 10 million toman (about US$9932) bail each.
- Ali Nejati, president of the Board of Director of the Syndicate,
- Feridoun Nikoufard, the Vice-President of the Board of Director;
- Mohammad Heydari Mehr, representative on industry affairs;
- Ghorban Alipour, Secretary
- Jalil Ahmadi, member of the Syndicate’s Board of Directors
Message of CGT de France to the comrades of the Haft Tapeh Workers’ Syndicate (Translated from the original French version)
“The French CGT is closely watching the situation in Iran and particularly the situation of the workers. The repression which touches the workers who want to organize themselves in free and independent trade unions, concerns us and we continue to demand the release of activists imprisoned.
It is because we know the challenges, pressures and threats that you suffer that we salute the courage and the determination which animate you for the creation of your syndicate.
You can be proud of your work that lays the foundations of a genuine trade unionism in Iran and hope that you represent not only workers in your country but also anyone in the world struggling for freedom, justice, equality and wellbeing. Your struggle deserves our admiration and our solidarity. We will try to be worthy of your bravery.
CGT will be with you in your struggle for democratic and independent trade unionism.
Receive, dear comrades, our fraternal greetings,
For the CGT, Jean-François COURBE
November 19, 2008
* translated from the original letter in French
(Original letter in French)
Message de la CGT de France aux camarades du syndicat de Haft-Tapeh
" la CGT française suit avec beaucoup d'attention la situation en Iran et particulièrement la situation des travailleurs.La répression qui touche les travailleurs qui veulent s'organiser dans des syndicats libres, indépendants et revendicatifs nous préoccupe et nous ne cessons de réclamer la libération des militants emprisonnés. C'est parce que nous connaissons les difficultés, les pressions et les menaces que vous subissez que nous saluons le courage et la détermination qui vous animent pour la création de votre syndicat.Vous pouvez être fiers de votre action qui jette les bases d'un véritable syndicalisme en Iran et de l'espoir que vous représentez non seulement pour les travailleurs de votre pays mais aussi pour tous ceux qui dans le monde luttent pour plus de liberté , de justice , d'égalité et de bien être.Votre combat mérite notre admiration et toute notre solidarité.
Nous essaierons d'être à la hauteur de votre bravoure.
la CGT sera à vos côtés dans vos combats pour un syndicalisme unitaire démocratique et indépendant.
Recevez ,chers camarades , nos salutations fraternelles
pour la CGT, jean-françois COURBE
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Security Forces shut down the office of the Society for Defence of Street & Working Children in Tehran
The security forces have shut down the office of the Society for Defence of Street & Working Children in Tehran. The Society for Defence of Street & Working Children in Tehran is a non-governmental and independent organization that has been operating in the last 6 years to provide support and advocacy for street and working children in Iran. The security and intelligent forces have been pressuring this organization in the past, for instance because their educational classes are mixed in terms of the gender of children and also because many refugee and migrant workers’ children have been attending their classes. Many of these children have no legal status. The Iranian government has been pressuring Afghan immigrants to leave Iran and has banned schooling in public or private schools for Afghan children. The license for this organization was cancelled by colonel Hamdallah from the foreign citizen’s office.
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Appeal in Support of Alborz (Kiyan) Workers
On November 16, 2008, the Consistence [Follow Up] Committee for Establishing the Free Iranian Workers Organizations in Iran issued a letter addressed to the labour organizations and political parties in other countries to urge them for more support and solidarity with Alborz (Kiyan) Tire workers. The letter states: “It has been more than one year, since the Kiyan Tire Factory Workers in Iran have felt the crises. The owners have emptied & sold all ready products & row materials from the stocks. They have stopped purchasing & productions, and it is being said that they have signed a contract with the Chinese contractors to produce the products for them in China. As the result, the workers of this manufacturer have lost their sense of job security, & virtually have become unemployed, even though due to some political considerations, the bosses have not yet dared to fire them. However, their wages have not been paid for months & they are under consistent pressures to quit their jobs without being paid or receive any benefits that is due to them.
The Kiyan Tire Workers have exhausted all legal channels by writing letters to all governmental organizations concerned, & have protested times & times over, by holding vigils & sit-ins in front of the Majlis (Parliament), Presidential Palace, & Ministry of Industry & Mines, and have taken over the offices of the company & production halls in spite of constant suppression of the police & intelligence forces, and have suffered arrests & indictments without results.
We, The Consistence Committee for Establishing The Free Iranian Workers Organizations, hereby, call to all of The Working Class Organizations, Unions, & Parties of The World to support The Kiyan Tire Factory Workers in their heroic battle for their rights & security, with all the means available, since, we are the Working Class of the World with the same problems, destiny, & goals against the World Capitalism”.
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November 20, 2008
Solidarity message to The Australian Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union (CFMEU);
Dear friends and comrades,
We are writing this letter in solidarity with the CFMEU and Mr. Noel Washington. The IASWI strongly condemns the prosecution of Mr. Noel Washington. We have been informed that Mr. Noel Washington, an official of the CFMEU, is facing the possibility of a 6 month jail sentence because of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC) excessive powers. According to rights on site campaign, the ABCC was created by the Howard Government in 2005 to enforce its laws and ‘criminalise’ union-related activities on construction sites. But, these laws and the ABCC are still in place under the new labour government. We have been informed that more than 92 construction workers have been secretly interrogated by the ABCC. Noel Washington has been charged with refusing to attend an ABCC interrogation about a union meeting and faces court in Melbourne on December, 02, 2008.
The CFMEU and many other Australian labour organizations have been strong supporters of the Iranian labour movement and the workers’ struggles in Iran in and other parts of the world. Your struggles against employers and unjust government laws are our struggles too. We would like to express our solidarity and support with hundreds of thousands of construction workers across Australia and demand the immediate withdrawal of all charges against Mr. Washington. We will send our protest letters to the Australian government and its embassies in different countries on December 2nd, 2008 and promote your protest rallies and actions.
Long live workers’ international solidarity!
International Relations- International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran
We call on all progressive organizations, trade unions, and labour, human rights activists to join the protest campaign against these anti-workers’ policies, in countries they live, on 2 December 2008 in front of Australian embassy or unions and human rights organizations. Send your message by fax and email to Australian Embassy in different countries; raise your voice of protest against anti-workers legislations and support Australian workers.
Demand: Abolish the ABCC, now! Drop all charges against Noel Washington immediately!
This campaign has been endorsed by CFMEU (Construction, Forestry, Mining, Energy Union) and joined by the ACTU, Unions NSW, Queensland Council of Unions, Victoria Trade Hall, CEPU, ETU, AMWU and AWU in Australia: Tuesday, 2nd December, 10 Am
Please visit these websites for further information:
www.rightsonsite.org.au
www.cfmeu.asn.au/construction
London and Birmingham Branches in UK
Tuesday 2nd December, 10 AM at Australian House (Australian High Commission) Strand, London WC2B 4LA
Supported by:
International Alliance in support of Workers in Iran (IASWI)-London
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For more information, contact [email protected] or [email protected]
International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI)
Background Information: www.workers-iran.org