Committee in Defense of Mahmoud Salehi

mahmodsalehi — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 13:22:18 GMT

APFUTU

All Pakistan Federation of United Trade Unions

H.O: Imtiaz Labour Hall, Faizabad, GUJRAT (Pakistan)

Phone: (+92-53 ) 353 3736 Mobile: (+92-333) 8408467

Fax No:(+92-53 ) 352 5302 Web Site: www.labourunity.org

Memo No:-------------/ Dated:-------------------2008.

Dear Brother,

Please accept of CONGRATULATION on freed of brotherMahmoud Salehi, we hope that now he will start his struggle with new power and strength. Our all support with our Iranian brother and sisters. With great joy and pleasure we learnt this good news here in our head quarter. Also our colleagues has distributed sweet on freed of brother Mahmoud Salehi.

I assure you on behalf of my organisation APFUTU 2,47,432 members that you always see us with you.

Fraternally yours,

Pirzada Imtiaz Syed

Secretary General

Dear Friends,

On behalf of All Pakistan Trade Union Federation we express our deep congratulation to Iran workers and workers around the world jointly struggle for the relase of our friend Mahmoud Salehi. Please convey our greetings to Mahmoud Saleihi.

Longlive workers solidarity!

Rubina Jamil

Chairperson

All Pakistan Trade Union Federation

mahmodsalehi — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:09:18 GMT

Mahmoud Salehi Freed!

For Immediate Release:

April 6, 2008- According to the Committee in Defense of Mahmoud Salehi, Mahmoud Salehi, a well known and one of the most courageous labour leaders in Iran, was finally released today, Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 3:00 PM from the City of Sanandaj‘s central prison, where he had finished one-year jail term for his labour activities on March 23, 2008 but the authorities had refused to release him until today.

Congratulation and many thanks to all labour, progressive and human rights’ organizations and activists who have supported Salehi and called for his freedom and that of other jailed labour activists.

More updates to follow soon

Support Urgent Campaigns to save Salehi's life

mahmodsalehi — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:08:18 GMT

Support Urgent Campaigns to save Salehi's life

Iran: Jailed trade unionist goes on hunger strike
Mahmoud Salehi, the jailed Iranian trade unionist, was due to be freed from prison on 23 March. But the authorities now accuse him of "communicating with those outside prison for the purposes of issuing messages of solidarity". As a result, he has not yet been released and has gone on hunger strike. Amnesty International is waging a global campaign to demand his freedom -- please send off your message today

click here

TO ITUC from The Collaborative Council of Labour Organizations and Activists

mahmodsalehi — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:16:37 GMT

Subject: TO ITUC from The Collaborative Council of Labour Organizations and Activists

To: General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)

Dear Guy Ryder,

Last year was a year full of misery, unemployment, dismissal and temporary and blank-signed contracts for Iranian workers. As a result of the difficult economic situation resulting from the miseries of the global capitalist system, last year came to an end while Iranian workers and wage earners were struggling with the extreme hardship. The livelihood of workers has been constantly diminishing. And finally, the Iranian year 1386 (March 21, 2007 to March 20, 2008) ended while the Iranian workers are still facing prosecution for struggling to create their independent organizations. Some examples are the oppression of members of Sherkate Vahed syndicate and the imprisonment of the president of this syndicate while the syndicate’s secretary is pending for the court order to be carried out in the upcoming days. The workers of Haft Tapeh Sugar Company were under pressure during past year and some of them have been interrogated and detained. So far, not a single indication of decrease of oppression has been seen.

During the past years, Iran ’s workers have consistently been facing numerous difficulties and arrests for organizing free May Day events. As you know, one example was the May Day celebration in the city of Saqez in 2004, which ended with the arrest of numerous worker activists. As we speak, Mahmoud Salehi is paying the high price of organizing that event with his poor health condition in prison since last year. Mahmoud Salehi is under intensive pressure for his solidarity messages from prison in support of workers’ rights and other social movements and there is no hope for his release at the end of his prison sentence.

While organizing May Day events has been recognized as a basic right in many countries, the worker activists in Iran are still under hardest pressure for these same reasons. The recent humiliating and offensive whipping sentences against worker activists is another sign of rising pressures to prevent workers from organizing international workers’ day freely.

The two international days of action in support of Iranian workers launched by your organization on August 9, 2007 and March 6, 2008, despite their positive effects, have not yet been successful in stopping the repression of worker activists. Therefore, putting pressure on Iran ’s government should continue in a way that results in suspension of suppression and persecution of labour activists. We, labour activists in Iran, expect that you, as an organization that has the creation of free and independent labour organizations on its agenda – to take necessary measures to compel the Iranian government to stop pressures and repression of the workers and labour activists. Workers in Iran demand, and they should be able to freely strive towards the achievement of these demands, to end sacking and dismissals, to stop the practice of temporary and blank-signed contracts, timely payment of their wages, wage increase according to real inflation rates, equal rights between women and men, prohibition of child labour, and more importantly to create free and independent worker organizations.

*The Collaborative Council of Labour Organizations and Activists

2008-03-19

General Secretary, Amnesty International

mahmodsalehi — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:32:18 GMT

March 20, 2008

Irene Khan,

General Secretary, Amnesty International,

1 Easton Street
London
WC1X 0DW , UK

Fax number: +44-20-79561157

Re: Request for Urgent Action to save Mahmoud Salehi’s life

Dear Ms. Irene Khan,

As you are well aware of, the one-year prison sentence for Mahmoud Salehi, a prominent labour activist in Iran and a representative of bakery workers in city of Saqez, who was arrested following a May Day in event in 2004 and after numerous trials was finally sentenced to one year imprisonment and a three year suspended prison sentence, was going to end on Farvardin 4^th, 1387 (March 23, 2008). However, Mahmoud Salehi was taken from Sanandaj Prison to branch 4 of the department of justice in Sanandaj on March 17, 2008. After making Mahmoud waiting for hours, they ordered a temporary arrest against him. They charged Mahmoud with communication and contacts with outside prison and issuing solidarity messages such as one to those on hunger strike on Tir 27^th 1386 (July 18, 2007) and also in support of freedom and equality seeking university students. Immediately after this unjust order of arrest, Mahmoud went on dry hunger-strike to protest the violation of his rights. He has refused taking his vital prescribed medications and has announced that he will continue his total strike until he is freed from prison.

According to the latest reports, Mahmoud’s blood pressure has been at maximum 16 and minimum 12. If his minimum and maximum blood pressures get closers or evens, his remaining kidney would fail completely and his life would be seriously endangered.

We, members of the Committee in Defense of Mahmoud Salehi, who are activists in Iran , are asking Amnesty International as well as Doctors without Border and labour unions and human rights organizations to increase pressures on Iranian authorities to immediately release Salehi and facilitate his treatment effectively and urgently. As the Committee in Defense of Mahmud Salehi, we hold the authorities of the Iranian government responsible for Salehi’s life. They must be hold accountable and liable for anything that might happen to Mahmoud.

Sincerely,

Committee in Defense of Mahmoud Salehi

March 20, 2008 (Farvardin 1^st, 1387)

cc: International Trade Union Confederation

Doctors without Border [Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)]

International Transport Workers’ Federation

Labour and human rights organizations

Salehi Declares Dry Hunger-strike

mahmodsalehi — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 22:39:02 GMT

Mamoud Salehi faces new charges and temporary arrest while still in prison

Salehi Declares Dry Hunger-strike

Monday March 17, 2008- According to the Committee in Defense of Mahmoud Salehi, Mr. Salehi was taken from Sanandaj Prison to branch 4 of the department of justice in Sanandaj on March 17, 2008. After making Mahmoud waiting for hours, they ordered a temporary arrest against him. They charged Mahmoud with communication and contacts with outside prison and issuing solidarity messages such as the one to those on hunger strike on Tir 27^th 1386 (July 18, 2007) and also supporting freedom and equality seeking university students. This order was issued while Mahmoud’s one-year prison term was going to end on Farvardin 4^th, 1387 (March 23, 2008), and his family and friends were expecting his release soon.

Immediately after this unjust order of arrest, Mahmoud went on dry hunger-strike to protest these unjust actions of government authorities to keep him in prison.

The Committee in Defense of Mahmoud Salehi has strongly condemned this new order to keep Mahmud in prison and demanded the unconditional and immediate release of Salehi.

Salehi’s health got seriously deteriorated last week while in jail. He completely passed out and was taken to hospital for a short period but was sent back to jail again. Salehi’s health does not allow him to be on hunger strike and his life would be at great risk; however, it is very clear that the government authorities are determined to keep him in prison and deny his freedom

mahmodsalehi — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:21:33 GMT

Mahmoud Salehi’s Message to All Workers and concerned organizers and participants of the March 6^th Global Day of Action

The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and their affiliates along with colleagues of the Global Unions Federations are organizing an international action day on March 6^th for workers’ rights in Iran and the freedom of Mansour Osanloo and me (Mahmoud Salehi). For my part, I gracefully appreciate such militant actions.

There is no avoidance of the struggle for the creation of independent workers’ organizations!!

Workers’ movement has grown in the context of aggravation of economic crisis, factory close downs, mass dismissal of workers, excessive increase of inflation that lowered the working people’s purchasing power, and generally widening of the class gap… as the result of all this Workplaces have turned into a battle field of class struggle for workers in order to meet their demands. Worker activists were raised and taken their roles within such struggles.

The close relationship between these fed-up masses and progressive workers has helped labour activists to adapt their views and behaviors to the realities of life and struggles of workers. Consequently, they have conveyed the proper ways of thinking and acting towards mass workers. Living and working with their co-workers, activists are telling them that the only way out of this terrifying misery, from poverty and starvation, from unemployment, from collective dismissal, and so on, is to fight with the capitalist system and to organize independent workers’ organizations. They tell their colleagues that an independent worker’s organization will empower them against the harsh onslaught of capitalism; that with their labour organization, they will be in a better position in their battle with capitalists; that they can set their wages up from a powerful position. Through their independent organizations, workers can establish the achievements of their struggle step by step.

Dear honorable and hard-working colleagues and fellow workers!

As the result of the efforts of truthful activists of labour movement, international rights’ organizations are now recognizing us as a working class with legitimate demands. As one of the labour activists, who is imprisoned in this capitalist country, I am proud to see such a day in the name of workers in Iran because I now know that the world’s working class has never easily accepted the imprisonment of these activists and has always fought for their freedom. They will not let the persecution and imprisonment of workers to become an obstacle or barrier in their rightful struggle.

On March 6^th, I will be joyful, even behind the bars of my cell, dreaming of unity and solidarity amongst workers. At this day, workers in Iran should be cheerful while their enemies would grieve!

I will see myself among you, arm in arm, by your side and fighting with you; and I, along with you, will emphasis that there is no avoidance of the struggle for the creation of independent workers’ organizations!

Mahmoud Salehi- Central Prison of the City of Sanandaj

March 04, 2008

mahmodsalehi — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 08:02:08 GMT

Global Action Day - 6 March 2008

Campaign Inbox


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5 March

ITF Worldwide Update (3) >>

ITF media releases
* Mass support for Osanloo release: UK events >>
* World support for Osanloo release >>
* ITF puts spotlight on Iranian ships in defence of jailed union leader >>

Joint message by the ITUC, ITF and Amnesty International >>
(français) (español) (Arabic) (Farsi)

Leaflet by ACV-Transcom >>

Protest letter by CFDT, CGT Transports, CGT Cheminots and FO, France >>

Statement by the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia >>

Protest letter by the Maritime Union of New Zealand >>

New Zealand unions media release >>

Protest letter by the AFL-CIO >>

Posters by Australian unions >> (poster 1) >> (poster 2)

Teamsters Canada lobbies parliamentarians >>

BWI web story >>

RMT confirms leafleting on 6 March, together with the TUC and other transport unions, at several stations in Great Britain from 07:30-09:00 >>

Worldwide update

Details of the worldwide plans for 6 March are now available.
Click here to read the text >>

(last updated, 5 March 2008)

The planned actions by the unions include:

* A protest at or a visit to the Iranian Mission is planned in Amman, Bangkok, Basra, Berlin, Brussels, Bucharest, Casablanca, Geneva, Hong Kong, Hyderabad, Istanbul, Jakarta, Kiev, London, Mexico City, Moscow, Mumbai, New Delhi, Oslo, Pretoria, Sanaa, Seoul, Stockholm, The Hague, Tokyo, Tunis and Wellington.

* A mass rally or march is planned in Conakry, Jakarta, Lahore, London, Mumbai, Pretoria, Sanaa, Seoul, Sydney, Toronto, Vilnius and the West Bank.

* Leafleting or information exhibition is planned in Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Newcastle, Bangkok, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Tokyo as well as the railway border points between Spain-France, France-Italy, France-Luxembourg- Germany, France-UK, Italy-Switzerland, Italy-Austria, Italy-Slovenia.

* Lobbying the government is planned in Austria, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Germany, Ethiopia, France, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Korea, Kuwait, Lithuania, New Zealand, Portugal and Romania.

* In the meantime, ITF Inspectors are visiting Iranian vessels in many countries including Australia, Belgium, Estonia, France, Great Britain, India, Korea and Taiwan.

For ideas on what you can do to support the campaign, click here >>

The ITUC and the ITF are organising a global action day on 6 March 2008 to express our solidarity with the Iranian workers once again. We want Mansour Osanloo and Mahmoud Salehi released immediately and unconditionally from prison. Their health conditions are deteriorating.


view larger image

We also demand that fundamental workers' rights be respected in Iran, in accordance with the ILO core conventions. The imprisonment of Osanloo and Salehi are not isolated cases in Iran. 9 education workers were sentenced to 90 days in prison recently. The Iranian authorities claim they are "threats to the national security" although in reality, it is genuine trade union activities they want to crush.

Oppression of the independent workers' movement in Iran is escalating. That is why the global unions, together with the human rights activists, wish to send a strong message to the Iranian government. 6 March falls two weeks prior to the Iranian New Year and the parliamentary elections.

What you can do:

We want you to send our strong message to the Iranian government as well as to raise awareness of the public and build union activism. Click here to read our Campaign Guidelines.

Register your participation and request campaign materials

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What’s New?

Update yourself with the latest developments of the Action Day as well as on our Iran Campaign >>

Campaign Materials

The following campaign materials can be downloaded for use on the Action Day.

Joint Message (ITUC - ITF - Amnesty International) (PDF)
(français) (español) (Arabic) (Farsi)

Campaign Guidelines (PDF)
(français) (español)
Free Osanloo Campaign Poster (PDF)
(français) (español)
Free Salehi Campaign Poster (PDF)
(français) (español)

Campaign Leaflet (PDF) - English only

Campaign Updates (PDF)
Number 1 - November 2007
Number 2 - December 2007

Union solidarity letter (PDF)
For use by ITF inspectors who visit Iranian shipping company vessels. The text can be amended by unions to send to the Iranian government.
Photo archive
Do you need a photograph for your publication?
We have many pictures that are archived on Flickr.
Freedom Will Come – The Story of Mansour Osanloo
This film promotes the international campaign launched by the ITF and ITUC in order to seek the release of Mansour Osanloo from prison.

Campaign Links

View links to websites with information about the Free Osanloo Campaign.

mahmodsalehi — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 07:56:10 GMT

Today is a global day of action in support of Iranian workers. Events are taking place around the globe and you can see what's happening in your country or city by going here. If you've not yet done so, make sure to sign up to the online campaign -- send a protest message to Iran here. Full coverage of Iranian labour news can be found here.

Today is also an international day of action in support of the victims of violence in Colombia -- hundreds of whom have been trade unionists. To find out what's going on in your part of the world today, click here.

Today is also International Book Day -- the perfect day to stock up on the books you need as a trade unionist. Please visit Labour's Online Bookstore today and buy at least one book. One of our favorites -- and it should be on every activists' bookshelf -- is the Troublemaker's Handbook. Remember -- every purchase you make at our online bookshop helps support LabourStart's campaigning activities.

Thanks very much -- I know that I can count on you.

Eric Lee

Labour activists face lashes and fines

mahmodsalehi — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 03:16:18 GMT

Labour activists face lashes and fines

The Committee in Defense of Mahmoud Salehi and the Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers report that the appeal court in the city of Sanandaj has sentenced 11 workers who had participated in a May Day 2007 event to 10 lashes and 200,000 toman each as a financial penalty. These 11 workers, who were arrested on May Day 2007 celebration in Sanandaj city, were originally sentenced to 91 days in prison and 10 lashes each. They were accused of disturbing public order and participating in an illegal gathering by both civil and revolutionary courts of Sanandaj. Their names, who are mostly members of the Unemployed Union, are as follows: Khaled Savari, Eghbal Latifi, Yadullah Moradi, Tayeb Mollaee, Fars Goilian, Sadiq Amjadi, Habibollah Kalkani, Mohiuddin Rajabi, Tayeb Chatani, Sadiq Sobhani and Abbas Anadyari. Also Sheys Amani and Sediq Karimi, both members of the executive board of the Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers, have been sentenced to two and half years jail time but these charges have been appealed and no final decision has yet been made. The Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers will launch a complaint with the ILO and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) about all these cases, especially the whipping sentences.

On February 16, 2008, Sediq Amjadi was whipped and forced to pay 65,000 toman. He was supposed to pay 200,000 toman, but this amount was reduced because he had previously spent 9 days in jail.

On Monday, February 18, 2008, two other workers, Fars Goilian and Habibollah Kalkani, received 10 lashes and also paid financial penalties.

The court’s verdict is so appalling that many workers and organizations have strongly denounced and condemned it; legal experts and even some of the pro-government officials have expressed concerns with it. This is the first time that labour activists have been whipped following a court order, although some women’s right activists have received such sentences before. Labour, women and student activists have been beaten and brutally attacked, tortured and even executed by security forces in countless occasions in the past 30 years in Iran but this is the first time a court has passed and carried out whipping sentences against labour activists.