To all Trade Union and Labour Organisations

May 1^st detainees and Mahmood Salehi must be released

As you are aware, on May 1^st this year workers in Iran held many protest meetings and demonstrations in a number of cities to mark International Workers’ Day.

Unfortunately one of these gatherings in the city of Sanandaj which had 300 workers protesting in front of the Office of Labour Ministry was attacked by the security forces of the Islamic regime and the participants were subject to severe physical assault and beatings. Around 20 of the protesters were arrested. Later, on the same day, some were released with no explanation of charges. The following day on Wednesday 2 May, the Islamic regime’s police and security forces raided the home of and arrested Tabib Chatani, a well known and respected labour activist. On the same day, Mr. Amani and Mrs Karimi who were attempting to submit a complaint to the public prosecutor’s office regarding the treatment of the demonstrators were arrested there and then. The following day another labour activist and organiser, Mr. Khaled Savari was arrested in the Sanandaj city centre. In the city of Kermanshah, the security forces attempted to arrest Javanmeer Moradi and Faramarz Ghorbani, two labour activists, but the protesters prevented their arrest and helped them escape.

This brings the number of arrested labour activists and organisers for celebrating May 1^st to 13. The following is the list of those arrested in the last few days and who remain in prison:

1. Mr. Amani, leader of the unemployed and dismissed workers of Iran

2. Sadeeg Karimi: executive member of the unemployed and dismissed workers of Iran

3. Khaled Savari, Deputy head of the unemployed and dismissed workers of Iran

4. Egbal Latifee

5. Yadolah Moradi

6. Najmoldeen Rajabi

7. Faroogh Gavili

8. Anwar Mafakheri

9. Sadeegh Amjadi

10. Habeebolah Kalkani

11. Maheealdeen Rajabi

12. Sadeeg  Sobhani

13. Tabeeb Chatani

These arrests are taking place while Mahmood Salehi, a labour activist from the city of Saqez is still in prison. The International Labour Solidarity of the Worker-communist Party of Iran strongly condemns these assaults and detention on the labour activists and campaigns for the release of the imprisoned workers.

We call on all labour organisations and trade unions all over the world to back our campaign and demands and write to the Islamic regime to immediately release the imprisoned workers.

Celebration of May 1^st is the workers’ basic right.

Long Live International Solidarity!

May 3^, 2007

International Labour Solidarity of the Worker-communist Party of Iran

Head office:

Co-ordinator: Shahla Daneshfar shahla_daneshfar@yahoo.com

Public Relations: Bahram Soroush b.soroush@ukonline.co.uk

Publicity: Hasan Salehi hasan_salehi2001@yahoo.com

Branches:

Australia: Arsalan Nazeri workers_in_iran@yahoo.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              

www.kargaran.org