Toggle high contrast

ACT NOW! Free Iranian trade unionists

Issue date
Solidarity with Iranian workers

Urgent action for Shahabi and Bagheri

May 2012

The TUC is backing an Amnesty International call to release jailed Iranian trade unionist Reza Shahabi, currently serving a six-year prison sentence, as well as to clarify the whereabouts of Zabihollah Bagheri and provide access to his family and his lawyer.

British trade unionists are being asked to write to the nearest Iranian embassy in Paris, as well as to Iranian officials - something TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber has done. These two trade unionists are just the tip of the iceberg in Iran, where the Government continues to try to repress independent trade unionism, often charging them with vague crimes like 'enmity against god'.

Reza Shahabi is the Treasurer of the Union of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (Sherkat-e Vahed) which is an affiliate of the International Transport Workers' Federation, and a sister union of Unite in the UK.

On or about 24 April 2012, trade unionist Zabihollah Bagheri was arrested on his way out of the Moharakeh Steel Plant in Esfahan, central Iran, by three plain-clothed officials. His current whereabouts are unknown.

Reza Shahabi

Reza Shahabi (also known as Reza Shahabi Zakaria), has been detained in Evin Prison in the Iranian capital, Tehran, since June 2010. He is in poor health after numerous hunger strikes in protest at the conditions in which he is held and it is not clear whether he is receiving all necessary medical treatment. Since around February 2012, he has complained that one side of his body was numb. However, it was not until 30 April that the prison authorities took him to hospital.

Reza Shahabi was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for 'gathering and colluding against state security' and one year for 'spreading propaganda against the system' by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran. He has also been fined 70 million rial (US$5,700) and banned from all trade unionist activities for five years. According to his lawyer, the prosecution is seeking to bring a fresh charge of 'enmity against God' for alleged contact with the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), a banned opposition group.

Amnesty International believes that Reza Shahabi has been convicted solely for his peaceful trade union work, and is a prisoner of conscience.

TUC letter

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber has sent the following letter to the nearest Iranian Embassy, in Paris.

His Excellency Ali Ahani
Ambassador
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
4, avenue d'Iéna
75116 Paris
France

By email to cabinet@amb-iran.fr

Dear Ambassador

Reza Shahabi and Zabihollah Bagheri

I would like you to convey to the authorities in Tehran the concern of the British trade union movement about the situation of our fellow trade unionists Reza Shahabi and Zabihollah Bagheri.

We understand that Reza Shahabi is serving a six-year prison sentence as a result of vague charges, and is in poor health. We would urge the Iranian Government to ensure he is provided with the medical treatment he needs, is protected from torture or other ill-treatment, and is released immediately and unconditionally as he is held solely for his peaceful trade union activities.

We have been informed that Zabihollah Bagheri was arrested on or about 24 April as he left the Moharakeh Steel Plant in Estahan. We would be grateful if you could confirm his whereabouts and urge the regime in Tehran to provide access to him for his family and his lawyer, as well as protecting him from torture or other ill-treatment, and freed as soon as possible.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is a member of the International Labour Organisation and therefore is bound to uphold the core conventions of the ILO including freedom of association. The treatment of independent trade unionists like Reza Shahabi and Zabihollah Bagheri is completely at odds with your Government's international obligations.

I look forward to your reply on these matters.

Yours sincerely

BRENDAN BARBER

General Secretary

Enable Two-Factor Authentication

To access the admin area, you will need to setup two-factor authentication (TFA).

Setup now