TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber has today, 26 April 2005, written to the Iranian Ambassador calling on the Iranian government to respect the right of Iranian workers to hold May Day demonstrations without the fear of arrest and continuing prosecution visited on some trade union leaders after demonstrations on May Day 2004.
26 April 2005

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HE Mr Morteza Sarmadi
Ambassador
Iranian Embassy
16 Prince's Gate
London SW7 1PT

Dear Mr Ambassador

May Day Demonstrations

Last year, when Iranian workers celebrated the international day of workers on 1 May, May Day, the Iranian authorities arrested some of their leaders and is still pursuing legal action against them.

In my view this is a clear breach of human and trade union rights - the basic freedoms of free speech and assembly - as well as a contravention of core ILO conventions on freedom of association.

I would ask you to urge your government to make it clear that such freedoms will respected this May Day, as they will be respected around the world.

Yours sincerely
Brendan Barber

General Secretary