Taken from Scoop:
Today's worldwide day of action to free jailed union leader Mansour Osanloo has been answered by arrests and prohibition in Iran. This morning five members of the Executive Board of the bus drivers' union were arrested while state security agents have been positioned at Osanloo's house and are threatening union members who had planned to rally there to request his release.
Osanloo is being held without charge in Tehran's notorious Evin prison as the latest move in a brutal two year government campaign against him and his Tehran bus drivers' union.
Today's action day has been called by the ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) as the latest tactic in its campaign to defend Osanloo and his fellow bus drivers. It is being supported by the ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation), Amnesty International and unions and union organisations worldwide. Protests have today taken place or are shortly to take place in Algeria, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, Iran, Indonesia, Finland, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Trinidad, the USA and Yemen.
ITF General Secretary David Cockroft commented: "If the Iranian Government wanted to know why workers worldwide are putting them under pressure then they've just supplied the answer. Today's arrests and intimidation show that despite all the reasonable approaches made to them in the last two years, they have locked themselves into a descending course of continued repression."
As union members once more stand up for their rights, those who claim to oppose the Iranian regime are strangely quiet. Strange, eh? I mean, I thought they were genuinely concerned about the Iranian people, not just in it for the opportunism. Ah well, fooled me. But then, of course, when the regime does fall, the right-wingers will claim that the left was quiet while the right went into battle. It's a bit like the fallacy over the Nazis. Some rightists claim that the left appeased Hitler (mmm, Chamberlain was a Conservative PM) and the right were the ones that opposed him. They obviously didn't oppose him enough. I don't remember many rightists joining the International Brigades when the Nazis were indulging in a proxy war in Spain. Facts eh? Confusing things.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Iran Arrests More Union Members, As Protests Spread Across the Globe For Mansour Osanloo
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Latest News on Mansour Osanloo
Taken from the International Transport Workers' Federation's (ITWF) website:
As Iranian trade unionist Mansour Osanloo began his second week of captivity the ITF vowed to carry on its efforts to secure his release. The organisation once again called on the Iranian authorities to free him, while continuing its campaign to marshal worldwide support for the persecuted labour leader (see www.itfglobal.org/solidarity/osanloo2.cfm).
Osanloo remains in Evin prison, and no reason has yet been given for his arrest and continuing detention, which had originally been denied by government and police. The ITF has welcomed the raising of his gangster-style arrest and subsequent imprisonment by both European Union External Affairs Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and, as reported today by the Associated Press, by the Defending Prisoners’ Rights Society, based in Tehran.
ITF General Secretary David Cockroft said: “Our campaign to release Mansour continues, and continues growing. The Iranian authorities, who have persecuted this valiant man for so long, must put up or shut up. Explain what charge he is held on or release him. And while they’re struggling with that idea the very least they can do is allow him access to his family, a lawyer and a doctor.”
Click on the banner at the top of the page to find out what you can do to help.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Iranian Authorities Admit Osanloo Detained in Evin Prison
After two days of denying all knowledge of his whereabouts, the authorities in Iran this afternoon (Thursday 12 July) admitted that Mansour Osanloo is being held in Evin Prison, Tehran.
The order to arrest Osanloo is believed to have come from Revolutionary Court Judge Saeed Mortazavi, who had denied any knowledge of Osanloo’s whereabouts.
ITF General Secretary David Cockroft said: “At least we now know where Mansour is being held. We will campaign with renewed vigour for his release, and for the Iranian Government to rein in the loose cannons responsible for this latest shameful attack.”
Osanloo was attacked as he was getting off a bus and was subsequently severely beaten according to witnesses. He was then bundled into a car before being taken away by unidentified assailants. Once again, it emerges that Osanloo has been detained in the notorious Evin prison.
How you can help
To urge President Ahmadjinejad to take every step possible to ensure the safety and immediate release of Mansour Osanloo.
2. Send a Protest Letter
Click the above link to send a protest email to President Ahmadjinejad.
Please do your bit to force the Iranian government to observe basic human rights and ensure the safe release of Osanloo and an end to his persecution at the hands of the state.
Action Taken So Far
· They have jointly written to President Ahmadinejad, protesting against the attack.
· They have asked ILO (International Labour Organization) Director General Juan Somavia to help free Osanloo. ILO Executive Director Kari Tapiola today raised the matter with the Iranian Labour Attaché in Geneva.
· They have added this latest attack to their complaint to the ILO’s Committee on Freedom of Association against the Government of Iran.
· They have promised to mobilise trade unions internationally to shame the Government of Iran if Osanloo is not released today.
ITF General Secretary David Cockroft stated: “Three weeks ago we were applauding Mansour. One week ago we were successfully campaigning to have his deputy released from another unjustified arrest. This week we are profoundly worried about his physical safety and want to see Mansour freed and among his friends and family as quickly as possible.”
“We utterly condemn this latest cowardly mob attack on our friend and colleague, and urge the Government of Iran to wake up and deal with the elements within that have pulled off this latest act of repression.”
Education International Calls For Osanlou's Release
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
President Islamic Republic of Iran
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax:
Brussels, 11 July 2007
President Ahmadinejad,
EI has been informed by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) that Mansour Osanloo was abducted by unidentified assailants as he was leaving a Vahed Company bus near his home at around 7pm on 10 July. Witnesses stated that he was beaten severely, as he was taken away in a metallic grey Peugeot to an undisclosed location.
During the week of 18 June 2007, I and other leaders of international trade unions from all regions of the world welcomed Mr. Osanloo at meetings in London and Brussels. We all pledged support to the Sherkat-e-Vahed trade union and Mr. Osanloo himself.
Following his abduction, EI is deeply concerned for the safety of Mr. Osanloo.
By virtue of its membership of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) the Islamic Republic of Iran is legally bound to respect its core principles including the principle of the freedom of association.
EI therefore joins the ITUC and ITF to urge your government to take every possible step to secure the immediate release of Mr Osanloo.
In addition to worries about the latest attack on Mr. Osanloo, EI is also concerned about the fate of the teacher representatives whose case is still reviewed by courts following the recent legitimate teacher protests. Teachers were protesting to uphold their right to a decent living wage. Teachers and their union representatives were merely requesting fair negotiations and social dialogue.
EI therefore urges you, Mr. President, to:
· Secure the immediate release Mr. Osanloo, ensure his safety and identify those responsible for his abduction;
· Secure the immediate and unconditional release of all teachers and their representatives detained in the context of the teacher protests;
· Open serious negotiations with the teachers’ representatives on their longstanding request for improved wages and respectable working conditions;
· Ensure that, in future, the right of teachers and workers’ organisations to exercise their activities and to hold meetings relating to the conditions of work and economic and social policy be respected.
EI would welcome a positive response on these requests, and will, in the meantime, continue to monitor the situation in Iran closely.
Sincerely yours,
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Mansour Osanlou Abducted Again
The BBC has reported that the head of Tehran's transport workers' union, Mansour Osanlou, has been abducted inside Iran. According to his wife he was pulled from a bus by unidentified men on Tuesday evening. The Iranian government has so far refused to comment on the abduction.
This is not the first time that Osanlou has had a run-in with the authorities in Iran. Osanlou was first arrested by the authorities on 22 December 2005, alongside 11 other union officials, in connection with their peaceful trade union activities. On 25 December, members of the union staged a bus strike in solidarity with their colleagues and were promptly arrested. The following day, all those that had been detained by the authorities were released, except for Osanlou and six other members of the Union's executive board. Two days later, the six members were released, leaving Osanlou under Iranian custody. During this period of detention, Osanlou was refused access to a lawyer. He was then held in Evin Prison in Tehran, until his release on 9th August 2006 after payment of bail.
Just three months later, on 19 November, Osanlou was arrested outside his home by members of the security services. On 26 November, he appeared in court where no specific charges were outlined to him. Osanlou appeared without his lawyer present. After his arrest, he was once again detained in section 209 of Evin prison. During his detention, Osanlou was suffering from a serious eye complaint. Prior to his arrest by security services, he was wearing a bandage over his eye as the result of an operation to rectify the problem. It was believed that he had no access to any medical treatment during his detention, despite the seriousness of the condition. After meeting his lawyers on the 11 December, they claimed that:
....his understanding was that he had been arrested because of his trade union activities as well as his contacts with international organizations such as the ILO [International Labour Organization], UN and international labour organizations.
Osanlou was released in August last year and continued his trade union activities as normal. He was subject to continuous harassment by the authorities after his release as a result of his union work. On 8 November, Osanlou and nine other executive members of the union were detained in Tabriz whilst travelling to a conference 'Globalisation and Privatisation'. However, members of the state-run Islamic Labour Councils were free to travel unhindered.
Earlier this year, during the May Day demonstrations, numerous activists were detained and beaten by the authorities. During the demonstrations a small group broke away and started chanting anti-government slogans. Consequently, Intelligence Ministry officials attempted to detain Osanlou once more. On this occasion he managed to escape. Prior to these demonstrations he had been due to give a speech at the Islamic Society of Students about the problems faced by labour organisations. University officials cancelled the talk and it was given at the gates of the university instead.
Clearly, Osanlou is a target of the authorities in Iran. His continued detentions as a result of his trade union work is systematic of the way the Iranian authorities view the trade union movement. Their determination to undermine rights of assembly and the rights for works to organise exposes the true nature of the regime. One hopes that Osanlou is released promptly and that there is an end to his continued persecution. Furthermore, the Iranian regime should allow the work force to unionise and demonstrate freely and without hindrance. Until the regime reverses this trend, it will continue to be considered a state that refuses to acknowledge basic human rights.
Additional information courtesy of Amnesty International:
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 recognised.
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.
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