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The Iranian Government Must Not Get Away with the Crime!

January 20, 2005 - A year ago, on 4th Bahman 1382 (January 23, 2004), Iranian security forces and Kerman Province’s special guards brutally attacked protesting workers in the town of Khatoonabad and the city of Shahr-e-Babak in Kerman Province, killing at least four and injuring dozens others. The attack was a bloody response to a sit-in and protest action held by the Nazkhaton’s Copper Smelting plant’s contract workers and their families.

Due to the persistence of the sit-in and the protest, the province Security Council, on which the governor of Kerman province and the governor of Shahr-e Babak city had seats, had decided to dispatch more security forces to the area. Special police forces were consequently brought in from Kerman city in helicopters to break the strike. The security forces initiated attacks and used force and firearms against the protesting workers in front of the plant and in the city of Shahre-Babak. As the result, at least four workers were killed and dozens wounded. General (Sardar) Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf (Head of Iran’s Security Forces) later confirmed that the police had fired the shots that killed the striking workers.

Given all the available facts, however, the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as usual, covered up the incident by denying independent international investigation and by refusing to take full responsibility for the police brutality and the killing of the protesting workers. Thus far, the Iranian working people and the public at large have not seen any official response from the government authorities following all the national and international protests and subsequent to the ICFTU's complaint to the ILO. And we have not seen anyone being prosecuted for the killing and maiming of people.

The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has constantly used security forces to crush labour protests or to intimidate labour activists. The growing solidarity and support by the international labour movements, especially since the Khatoonabad killing, and the escalation of labour actions and organizing efforts across the country could create a more favourable condition for workers in which the security forces and the authorities would have to be more cautious about the use of violence and intimidating tactics. The recent strike at the Kurdistan Textile Factory in the City of Sanandaj is a relevant example.

As we thank the international labour movement for their support of workers' rights in Iran, we are urging free labour organizations all over the world to regard the advancement of workers' rights in Iran as one of their main priorities in their international affairs for the upcoming years. In particular, approaching the anniversary of the Killing of workers in Khatoonabad, we are asking all concerned organizations and individuals to denounce the Iranian government’s refusal to take responsibility for the incident and to demand immediate identification and prosecution of all those responsible- regardless of their ranking within the government, for the killing and maiming of the protesting workers. Furthermore, all people who were victimized and the families of those who lost their lives must receive fair and proper compensation.

Please send your protest letters to:

Mohammad Khatami, President

Islamic Republic of Iran

Palestine Avenue, Azarbaijan Intersection

Tehran, Iran

Fax: 98-21-674790

Email: [email protected]

c.c. to:

ILO Workers Group

Avenue Blanc 46

CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland

[email protected]

ICFTU- Trade Union Rights
5 Boulevard du Roi Albert II, Bte 1
1210 Brussels, Belgium

Fax: +32 (0) 2 201 5815

[email protected]

Please send a copy of your protest letter or a report on your actions to:

International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran

[email protected]

P.O.Box 1164 Station Q,

Toronto, Ontario, M4T 2P4

Canada

	A Year after the Killing of Workers in Khatoonabad!
	The Iranian Government Must Not Get Away with the Crime! January 20, 2005 - A year ago, on 4th Bahman 1382 (January 23, 2004), Iranian security forces and Kerman Province’s special guards brutally attacked protesting workers in the town of Khatoonabad and the city of Shahr-e-Babak in Kerman Province, killing at least four and injuring dozens others. The attack was a bloody response to a sit-in and protest action held by the Nazkhaton’s Copper Smelting plant’s contract workers and their families. Due to the persistence of the sit-in and the protest, the province Security Council, on which the governor of Kerman province and the governor of Shahr-e Babak city had seats, had decided to dispatch more security forces to the area. Special police forces were consequently brought in from Kerman city in helicopters to break the strike. The security forces initiated attacks and used force and firearms against the protesting workers in front of the plant and in the city of Shahre-Babak. As the result, at least four workers were killed and dozens wounded. General (Sardar) Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf (Head of Iran’s Security Forces) later confirmed that the police had fired the shots that killed the striking workers. Given all the available facts, however, the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as usual, covered up the incident by denying independent international investigation and by refusing to take full responsibility for the police brutality and the killing of the protesting workers. Thus far, the Iranian working people and the public at large have not seen any official response from the government authorities following all the national and international protests and subsequent to the ICFTU's complaint to the ILO. And we have not seen anyone being prosecuted for the killing and maiming of people. The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has constantly used security forces to crush labour protests or to intimidate labour activists. The growing solidarity and support by the international labour movements, especially since the Khatoonabad killing, and the escalation of labour actions and organizing efforts across the country could create a more favourable condition for workers in which the security forces and the authorities would have to be more cautious about the use of violence and intimidating tactics. The recent strike at the Kurdistan Textile Factory in the City of Sanandaj is a relevant example. As we thank the international labour movement for their support of workers' rights in Iran, we are urging free labour organizations all over the world to regard the advancement of workers' rights in Iran as one of their main priorities in their international affairs for the upcoming years. In particular, approaching the anniversary of the Killing of workers in Khatoonabad, we are asking all concerned organizations and individuals to denounce the Iranian government’s refusal to take responsibility for the incident and to demand immediate identification and prosecution of all those responsible- regardless of their ranking within the government, for the killing and maiming of the protesting workers. Furthermore, all people who were victimized and the families of those who lost their lives must receive fair and proper compensation. Please send your protest letters to: Mohammad Khatami, President Islamic Republic of Iran Palestine Avenue, Azarbaijan Intersection Tehran, Iran Fax: 98-21-674790 Email: [email protected] c.c. to: ILO Workers Group Avenue Blanc 46 CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland [email protected] ICFTU- Trade Union Rights 5 Boulevard du Roi Albert II, Bte 1 1210 Brussels, Belgium Fax: +32 (0) 2 201 5815 [email protected] Please send a copy of your protest letter or a report on your actions to: International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran [email protected] P.O.Box 1164 Station Q, Toronto, Ontario, M4T 2P4 Canada