TUC protests at abduction of Iranian bus workers' leader
I am writing to ask that you convey to your Government the deep concern of the Trades Union Congress, which represents people at work in Great Britain through our 6.5 million members and their 59 trade unions, about the current whereabouts and wellbeing of Mansour Osanloo, the President of the Vahed Bus Workers' Syndicate of Tehran. I would be very grateful for any information you can provide me about his abduction, and for any assurances you can give me that the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran can guarantee his safety and prompt release.
I understand that Mansour Osanloo was beaten and abducted by plainclothes assailants on the afternoon of Tuesday 10 July, as he was boarding a Vahed Company bus in front of his home. They beat him severely, and took him away in a metallic grey Peugeot to an undisclosed location. I understand that his family and his colleagues do not know the identity of the assailants but they believe that a direct order has been issued by the Labour Minister, demanding the immediate seizure of Mr Osanloo.
I further understand that Mr Osanloo's wife and family members went to the 128th Branch Police Station in Narmak near their home. At that location, the Deputy Information Officer, told them Mr Osanloo was a spy who received money from abroad, but the police would not acknowledge whether they had arrested or abducted him.
As you will know, Mansour Osanloo was recently in London for meetings with the International Transport Workers' Federation (of which his union is an affiliate) and met with TUC and union officials. As a representative of working people, he is entitled under the core labour standards of the International Labour Organisation to associate freely and to go about his work without fear of harassment or intimidation.
We are particularly anxious about his current situation, and given the sustained harassment he has been subjected to by the security services and police in Iran, it seems likely that he has been abducted by the authorities.
I would therefore be grateful for anything you could do to explain what has happened and to rectify it as soon as possible.
I am copying this letter to the Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and making it public.
Yours sincerely
Brendan Barber
General Secretary
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