Amnesty issues Urgent Action for the release of
jailed union leader
Amnesty International has issued an Urgent Action for the release
of jailed Tehran Bus Workers’ Union leader, Mansoor Ossanlou. Below
is the text in full.
9 January 2006
UA 08/06
Arbitrary arrest/possible prisoner of conscience/medical concern
IRAN:
Mansour Ossanlu (m), Head of the Union of Workers of the Tehran and
Suburbs Bus Company (Sherkat-e Vahed)
Mansour Ossanlu, the Head of the Union of Workers of the Tehran
and Suburbs Bus Company (Sherkat-e Vahed) has been detained since 22
December 2005 in Section 209 of Evin Prison in the capital, Tehran.
He may be a prisoner of conscience, detained solely on account of
his peaceful trade union activities. He is said to be suffering from
a serious eye complaint, and could lose his sight if he does not
receive immediate medical treatment.
Mansour Ossanlu was among 12 officials from the Union who were
reportedly arrested by police at their homes on 22 December 2005,
apparently in connection with their peaceful trade union activities.
Four of the 12 were released shortly afterwards. On 25 December,
members of the Union were arrested while staging a bus strike in
Tehran, demanding the release of their colleagues. On 26 December,
all those who had been detained were released, with the exception of
Mansour Ossanlu and six other members of the Union’s Executive
Board. These six were released two days later, leaving only Mansour
Ossanlu in detention. Mansour Ossanlu has not been granted access to
a lawyer, and reports suggest that he may be facing charges
including contact with Iranian opposition groups abroad and
instigating armed revolt against the authorities.
On 31 December, reports indicated that seven Union members
including Mansour Hayat Ghaybi (or Ghaybati); Ebrahim Madadi; Reza
Tarazi, Gholamreza Mirza’i; Abbas Najand Kouhi and Ali Zad Hossein
had been summoned to appear before a Revolutionary Court in Tehran
the following day on charges including public order offences.
However, following protests by Union members outside the court on 1
January, the seven were reportedly told that their trial had been
postponed.
On 7 January 2006, Bus Company workers staged another strike,
during which five drivers were reportedly detained. All were later
reportedly released.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Union of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company is said
to have been founded in 1979 and resumed activities in 2004 after a
25-year ban. It is still not legally recognized.
Iran is a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, Article 22 (1) of which states: Everyone shall
have the right to freedom of association with others, including the
right to form and join trade unions for the protection of his
interests. Article 26 of Iran’s Constitution states: The formation
of parties, societies, political or professional associations … is
permitted provided they do not violate the principles of
independence, freedom, national unity, the criteria of Islam, or the
basis of the Islamic republic. No one may be prevented from
participating in the aforementioned groups, or be compelled to
participate in them.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- expressing concern at the continued detention of Mansour Ossanlu,
who is held in Section 209 of Evin Prison and seeking assurances
that he is not being tortured or ill-treated while in detention;
- expressing concern that he may be held solely on account of his
peaceful trade union activities, in which case he should be released
immediately and unconditionally;
- otherwise, calling on the authorities to charge him promptly with
a recognizably criminal offence and bring him to trial promptly and
fairly;
- expressing concern at reports that Mansour Ossanlu requires urgent
medical treatment for a serious eye complaint, and calling for him
to be given immediate access to any necessary medical treatment;
- urging the authorities to grant him immediate and regular access
to a lawyer of his choice and his family;
- reminding the authorities of their obligations under the ICCPR,
Article 22 (1) of which provides for the right to form and join
trade unions.
APPEALS TO:
(Please note that it may be difficult to get through to fax numbers
in Iran. Please keep trying. If you are unable to get through,
please send appeals via email or by post).
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Shoahada Street
Qom
Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: 011 98 251 7 774 2228 (mark ‘’FAO the Office of His Excellency,
Ayatollah al Udhma Khamenei’’)
Email: istiftaa@wilayah.org
OR info@leader.ir
Salutation: Your Excellency
Head of the Judiciary
His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice, Park-e Shahr,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email:
irjpr@iranjudiciary.org (mark ‘’Please forward to His
Excellency Ayatollah Shahroudi’’)
Or via the Judiciary’s website:
www.iranjudiciary.org/feedback_en.html
Fax: 011 98 21 8 879 6671 / 6 640 4018 / 6 640 4019
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of the Interior
Hojatoleslam Mustafa Purmohammadi
Ministry of the Interior
Dr Fatemi Avenue
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: 011 98 21 8 896 203/ 899 547/ 6 650 203
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
Iran does not presently have an embassy in this country. Instead,
please send copies to:
Iranian Interests Section
2209 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington DC 20007
Phone: 202 965 4990
Fax: 202 965 1073
Please send appeals immediately. Check with the Colorado office
between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, Mountain Time, weekdays only, if
sending appeals after February 20, 2006.
…
Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement that
promotes and defends human rights.
This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including
contact information and stop action date (if applicable). Thank you
for your help with this appeal.
Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
PO Box 1270
Nederland CO 80466-1270
Email: uan@aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 303 258 1170
Fax: 303 258 7881
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END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
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