International Labour Solidarity Committee of the

Fifth worker flogged in Iran

Wed, 26 Feb 2008

A fifth worker by the name of Abbas Andaryari was today fined and flogged following a summons to appear before the court in the city of Sanandaj, according to a report by the National Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers of Iran.  Earlier on the day Sedigh Sobhaani was flogged and made to pay a fine.

The two workers, who have been sentenced to lashes and fines along with 9 others for taking part in May Day celebrations last year, heeded the summons to avoid arrest by the security forces.  However, in the case of Mr Andaryari, the Appeal Court ruling had not included lashing.  Nevertheless, when he attended the court to pay the fine, the judge personally handed the lash to a soldier and ordered that he also be flogged, despite his strong protests.  According to the Union, the flogging has severely affected Mr Andaryari psychologically.

On 16 and 19 February, three workers by the names of Sedigh Amajadi, Habibollah Kalekaani and Faares Gavilian were fined and flogged.  Summons have been issued for two other workers, Tayyeb Chatani and Tayyeb Moulaee, who may be arrested and flogged at any moment.

The Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers, in which many of those arrested and sentenced are members, has pledged further actions in protest at the medieval sentences of flogging.  In a letter to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), it requested that a formal complaint be registered with the International Labour Organisation (ILO).  Also, in an urgent appeal on Monday, it called on world labour and human rights organisations to vehemently condemn the flogging sentences and demand their immediate revoking.

In Iran, various groups of workers, from across the industries, have issued statements and letters to strongly condemn the floggings and declared support for the workers concerned.  (Please see separately, in the forthcoming bulletins, for the texts of these statements and letters.)

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URGENT ACTION REQUESTED:

Please publicise, as widely as possible, the news of this outrageous brutality by the Islamic government in Iran, condemning it in the strongest possible terms.  Letters of protest may be sent to any or all of the following offices of the Islamic Republic government.  Please forward a copy to WPI’s International Labour Solidarity Committee for info:

Supreme Leader:

Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei
Office of the Supreme Leader

Islamic Republic Street

Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Iran
Email: info@leader.ir   

The President:

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency

Palestine Avenue,

Azerbaijan Intersection

Tehran, Iran
Email: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir

The Head of the Judiciary:

Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St.,Vali Asr Ave.,
South of Serah-e Jomhouri,
Tehran, Iran
Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir

www.kargaran.org   www.wpiran.org   www.rowzane.com

International Labour Solidarity Committee of the Worker-communist Party of Iran (ILSC-WPI)

Head office:

Co-ordinator: Shahla Daneshfar shahla_daneshfar@yahoo.com

Public Relations: Bahram Soroush bahram.soroush@gmail.com

Around the world:

Australia: Arsalan Nazeri ilscaustralianb@optusnet.com.au Belgium: Hossein Pishehesan workersiniran_belgique@yahoo.fr Canada: Mehran Mahbobi workersiniranca@yahoo.ca Finland: Abdol Golparian workers_iniran@yahoo.com Germany: Reza Nouri workeriniran_de@yahoo.de Norway: Saber Rahimi workeriniran@yahoo.no Sweden: Mamad Amiri workersiniran_se@yahoo.se UK: Shiva Mahbobi workersiniranuk@yahoo.com