11 Jul 2007 -
Free Mansour Osanloo

23:00 GMT, 6 March 2008

* Unions from Middle East and North Africa join the Action Day
* FNV awards Febe Elisabeth Velasquez Prize to Osanloo
* Nationwide actions in Belgium and Great Britain
* More embassy protests; Amman, Casablanca, Bangkok, Berlin and London

View photos from the Action Day >>

Tunisia
In Tunis, all transport workers unions demonstrated in front of the Iranian embassy and delivered their protest letter. A press conference was held during the day. Mukhtar Hilli, President of the Transport Federation in Tunisia called on all members of the Federation to participate in the campaign and urged them to stand in solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Iran.

Jordan
In Jordan, activists from road and air transport unions, including the women committee, protested in front of the Iranian Embassy in Amman and displayed the campaign stickers in Arabic and Persian.

Morocco
All transport unions in Morocco (UMT) met and sent representatives to the Iranian Embassy to protest and demand the release of Mansour Osanloo. 

Yemen, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon
In Yemen, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Lebanon, the ITF unions sent letters to the Iranian President and the Embassies in the respective countries. (Email reports by Bilal Malkawi)

Thailand
At 10:00, around 50-60 union members from ITF affiliates in Thailand, SRUT, BMTA-SWU and AOT-SWU picketed in front of the Iranian Embassy in Bangkok to protest against the unjust detention of Mansour Osanloo and Mahmoud Salehi. A short discussion took place with the Iranian Commercial Ambassador about these two leaders’ situation. He received the protest letters submitted from SRUT and ITF-Thailand to the President of Iran. (Email report by Su-angcana Tungworachet)

Netherlands
FNV Mondiaal and FNV Bondgenoten held a ceremony in Amsterdam on the Action Day to award Mansour Osanloo with the Febe Elisabeth Velasquez Prize. It is awarded every two years to someone who campaigns for the observance of trade union rights under difficult circumstances and at personal risk. The FNV President Agnes Jongerius presented the prize to Henk van de Kolk (FNV Bondgenoten) to an audience of Global Union Federation members who were taking part in a meeting of Mondiaal. Mac Urata, Alana Dave and Sangam Tripathy represented the ITF. Earlier in the day, Urata, Brigitta Paas and representatives of Bondgenoten visited the Iranian Embassy in The Hague and delivered their message of protest. View film clip on YouTube
(Email report by Mac Urata)

Belgium
BTB in Belgium organised a programme of activities throughout Belgium. A delegation from the union attended the ITUC/ETF demonstration held in Brussels. A small rally was also held outside the ABVV federal office. In Antwerp, a protest rally was held in front of the BTB building where Carine Dierckx spoke about the situation for trade unionists in Iran. Employees all wore the Free Osanloo badge and hung posters in public places. In Luik, information sessions were held to raise public awareness regarding the situation. Over 140 women attending the National Women’s Day rally participated. In Gent the BTB bus road show was out publicising the campaign and getting people to sign the petition to free Mansour Osanloo. In Kortrijk, a protest was held at midday outside the ABVV office in West Flanders. In Hasselt, bus and taxi drivers wore the "Free Osanloo!" badge and informed passengers of the plight of Mansour Osanloo and other trade unionists in Iran. In Liege, more than 100 people met outside the BTB building to participate in a solidarity action for Mansour Osanloo. The local secretary made a small speech to emphasize the importance of solidarity with workers in Iran. (Email report by Dinneke Fleerackers and Frank Moreels and phone report by Veronique de Roeck)

Great Britain
Around 150 representatives from ASLEF, GMB, RMT, Unite, Unison and TSSA, together with the TUC, ITF and Amnesty International, attended the rally outside the Iranian Embassy in London - of the rallies that have been held this was by far the largest. Banners, placards and flags were held high and people were chanting loudly “Free Mansour Osanloo Now!”. A letter of protest was taken to the Embassy and posted through the door. Stuart Howard, ITF gave a speech, along with Martin Mayer, ITF Road Transport Section Chair and many others. In the morning, MPs and representatives from the ITF and trade unions turned out to show their support for Mansour Osanloo at a photo shoot in front of the Houses of Parliament.
(Email reports by Sam Dawson and Anna Holmes)

The British Foreign Officer Minister, Dr Kim Howells released the following statement in support of the Action Day:

"We call on the government of Iran to release immediately Mansour Osanloo and Mahmoud Salehi. They have been imprisoned for several months for their involvement in peaceful activities in support of workers’ rights in Iran. This is a clear violation of their right to freedom of expression and association.”

The activity in London was one part of a series of activities organised across the country by UK unions on 6 March. Below are a few of the reports that the ITF has received so far today:

*Union activists have distributed leaflets to hundreds of bus drivers and other support staff in Aberdeen.
(Email report by Tommy Campbell)

*Chelmsford TUC and TSSA members distributed hundreds of the "Free Osanloo" leaflets outside Chelmsford railway station this morning and a report has gone to the local press.
(Email report by Malcolm Wallace)

*20 unionists distributed campaign leaflets around London Kings Cross Railway Station. (Phone report by Pete Kavangh)

Germany
Members of Ver.di in Berlin visited the Iranian Embassy and delivered their letter of protest. Jan Kahmann addressed the protestors. Currently, bus workers of the Berlin public transport company, BVG are on strike. Nevertheless, a group of strikers joined the rally in front of the Embassy. Hartmut Kruse and two other ITF Inspectors came from Rostock. Information about the campaign was distributed to the public. A letter to the Minister of the Foreign Affairs will be sent next week.
(Email report by Susanne Senica)

TRANSNET organised its main information campaign for the international action day in Jena, Thüringen, with about 100 union activists participating. This event was accompanied by regional information campaigns in Hamburg, Hannover, Cologne, Munich and Berlin with transport union activists and workers representatives. The campaign has been publicised on the union website and protest letters have been sent to the Iranian Embassy and to the Iranian Government.
(Email report by Almut Spittel)

Austria
The GdG used their management meeting on 5 March to raise awareness about the global campaign. The ITF "Freedom will Come" film was shown to participants at the meeting and campaign materials were displayed. The President of the National Confederation made a speech about the situation in Iran.
(Email Thomas Kattnig and phone report by Harald Voitl)

Canada
Teamsters Canada reports that the Liberal Party MPs and New Democartic Party MPs delivered letters of protest to the Iranian authorities. A debate will be held in the House of Commons on 16 April in support of Osanloo. (Email report by Phil Benson)

India
The Tuticorin Port Mariners & General Staff Union held an awareness meeting for its officials and members about Mansour Osanloo and the international campaign to release Mansour Osanloo and in solidarity with workers in Iran. The union also held a press conference to explain the situation in Iran and to highlight the global Action Day on 6 March. (Email report by D.M.Stephen)

Spain
ELA-Hainbat organised a demonstration at a metro station in Bilbao where activists distributed 1,000 leaflets about the Railway Action Day and the global campaign in solidarity with workers in Iran. The media were informed about the event.
(Email report by Esteban Pereda)

Finland
Finnish transport union, AKT has delivered a letter of protest to the Ambassador of Iran in Helsinki.
(Email report by Juhani Koivunen)