Following the recent detention of two labour activists, Mr. Sadegh Amiri and Parviz Salarvand in Iran, Kazem Nik-Khah, secretary of the Worker-communist Party of Iran – Committee Abroad, wrote a letter (published in the last issue of Workers in Iran) to Mr. Guy Ryder, general secretary of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), asking for that organization’s help to gain the release of these two labour activists. At the same time, members of the International Labour Solidarity Committee of the Worker-communist Party of Iran contacted various workers’ organizations, asking for their protest against the detention of these two labour activists. We have received copies of protest letters to the Iranian president, Mohammad Khatami, from Fred Muzin, President of British Colombia’s Hospital Employees’ Union, Kenneth Georgetti, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, Marcello Malentacchi, General Secretary of International Metalworkers’ Federation, Deborah Bourque, National President of Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Jorid Tveita from the Norwegian Hotel and Restaurants Workers Union, and Anderias Hyden from Bremen Socialist–Democratic Party.

Fred Muzin in his letter writes: “I am writing on behalf of the 43,000 members of the Hospital Employee’s Union to ask for the release of two Iranian labour activists who have been detained.” He adds: “These men have both been arrested for defending fundamental workers’ rights and speaking out against abuses. These heavy-handed intimidation and harassment tactics are completely unacceptable and are a tarnish to your government’s reputation.” He ends his letter: “We urge you to ensure that Mr. Amiri and Mr. Salarvand are immediately released and that their safety and welfare is assured. We also encourage your government to recognize and respect human rights and allow free and fair collective bargaining for all workers.”

 Mr. Kenneth Georgetti in his letter writes: “On behalf of the three million members of the Canadian Labour Congress, I am writing to protest, yet again, at the serious violations of workers’ occurring in your country.” He adds: “We have learned of the detention and ‘disappearance’ of Mr. Parviz Salarvand, a worker at the Iran Khodro automobile construction company. Workers there have been protesting the deteriorating working conditions at the company as management has systematically been pressuring the workers to obtain higher output. The workers are not allowed to form their own trade union organization and many of them are currently being hired on a temporary basis which makes them ineligible for the benefits that permanent employees enjoy. According to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (IFCTU) and other sources, management announced the deduction of their new year’s bonuses and proclaimed the unequal treatment of permanent and temporary contract workers.” Mr. Georgetti also writes: “In addition, on May 9, 2005 more that 300 men of the Iranian Workers’ House (Khaneh Kargar) and of the Islamic Shora of the Vahed Bus Company in Tehran attacked a meeting of the founding committee of this company’s workers’ union. This meeting was taking place on the premises of the Bakery Workers’ Association. We have been informed that ten members of the founding committee were attacked and that the attackers also tore down the union’s premises, smashed doors and windows, tore up documents, and destroyed library books.” He added: “All of this was carried out in the presence of security forces who even filmed the event. … Some of the attackers held placards with slogans such as ‘death to hypocrites’ and ‘trade unions, a refuge of Taghout’, the latter being a known reference to the previous monarchy.” In another paragraph, Mr. Georgetti writes: “The Canadian Labour Congress joins with the ICFTU in denouncing these violent recent incidents. Unfortunately, we had all too many occasions to write to you concerning labour rights violations in Iran. During the early to mid 1980’s, all independent labour organizations were violently attacked and shut down by the government and the current leadership of Workers’ House and the Islamic labour councils. The Iranian government since then has not recognized nor allowed workers to organize themselves into organizations of their choice which is an internationally recognized fundamental right. Instead, your government has been supporting the Workers’ House and the Islamic labour councils as an instrument for the control and suppression of an independent labour movement in Iran. As a member of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Iran is under an obligation to respect and enforce the fundamental principles enshrined in Conventions 87 and 98 on the right to freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.” He concludes his letter: “We therefore urge you, Mr. President, to order the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Parviz Salarvand, to order an investigation into this incident, and to see to it that peaceful and legitimate union meetings can occur so that workers are free to form their own organizations without any interference by the state, the Workers’ House, the Islamic Councils or the security and intelligent forces.”

Marcello Malentacchi writes: “On behalf of millions of our members worldwide, the international Metalworkers’ Federation calls on your government to immediately release Mr. Parviz Salarvand from Evin Prison in Tehran, and demands that the management at Iran Khodro halts all intimidation and harassment of the company’s employees. Mr. Parviz Salarvand has been unjustly arrested and detained for exercising the freedom of speech in support of internationally recognized worker and trade union rights. Your government along with company management has responded to his denunciation of the unequal and unfair treatment of employees with repressive violation of fundamental human and worker rights. Workers at Iran Khodro have long endured hazardous and dangerous working conditions that have resulted in many workplace injuries and deaths in recent years. Many workers are denied equitable payment of benefits and face continued insecurity associated with temporary and contract terms of employment.”

Deborah Bourque writes: “I am writing to you to protest, on behalf of the 55,000 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), further serious violations of workers’ rights occurring in the Islamic Republic of Iran.” She adds: “On May 5, Mr. Sadegh Amiri, a labour activist who has courageously worked for the formation of free labour organizations in the Islamic Republic, was arrested at his workplace. He has since been released on bail following pressure from trade unions around the world. However, your government is attempting to charge him with trumped-up charges of “actions against national security” and “publication of illegal leaflets”. CUPW is aware that such charges in the past have lead to long prison terms and even execution for many Iranians. Mr. Amiri is being framed because he is an active supporter of the Follow-Up Committee for the Formation of Free Labour Organizations and the organizer of a May Day ceremony in Tehran.” She also writes: “On May 9, 2005, more than 300 men from the Iranian Workers’ House (Khaneh Kargar) and from the Islamic Shora of the Vahed Bus Company brutally attacked a meeting of the founding committee of the bus company’s workers’ union. Ten members of the founding committee were attacked and one member, Mr. Mansour Ossaniou, was deliberately seriously injured. The premises of the Bakery Workers Association, where the meeting was being held, was badly damaged. All of this took place in the presence of security forces, who even filmed the event themselves while confiscating press cameras and tape recorders from the ISNA news agency and newspaper reporters.”

Jorid Tveita writes: “We have been informed that labour activists Mr. Sadegh Amiri and Mr. Parviz Salarvand have been illegally detained in Iran. If this is the case we would like to urge the Iranian government to investigate this situation, and take the necessary measurements to ensure that no labour activists are detained without due process. We also urge that the Iranian government make sure that labour activists are not harassed by government agencies, and that they can work in peace to better the conditions for Iranian workers and therefore better the Iranian society.”

Anderias Hyden of Bremen Socialist–Democratic Party writes: “We have been informed that recently labour activists Sadegh Amiri and Parviz Salarvand, for defending workers rights have been detained. We condemn detention of labour activists and ask for their immediate and unconditional release. Iran is a member of the ILO and is under the obligation to respect and enforce the fundamental principles enshrined in its conventions. We are closely following the harassing of the workers’ activists, and believe that Islamic Republic of Iran doesn’t have any right to treat workers’ activists in this way. In Iran too, workers have right to fight for their demands.”

A number of other labour organizations have also sent protest letter to Iranian authorities.

As international pressure on the Islamic Republic mounted, the authorities announced the release on May 16th of Sadegh Amiri. Mr. Amiri has been released on a hefty 50 million Toman bail (around US$55,000). His release no doubt is an important victory for Iranian workers. However, the efforts to get all charges against him dropped must continue. While extending our sincere thanks to the organizations mentioned above for their solidarity, we  urge all labour organizations to keep up their pressure on the Iranian regime, denouncing its mistreatment and harassment of Iranian labour activists.