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ITF condemns prison sentence for Iranian trade unionist
31 October 2007
 |  |  view larger image | | | Global action day rally in Indonesia in support of Osanloo and other trade unionists imprisoned in Iran, 9 August 2007 | |
The ITF yesterday issued a condemnatory press statement in response to reports that Iranian trade union leader, Mansour Osanloo, had been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. Osanloo, has been in detention in Evin prison in Tehran since 10 July and was only briefly released earlier this month to undergo urgent medical treatment on his eye.
In the statement, ITF General Secretary David Cockroft said: “For two years Mansour Osanloo has fought back against the Iranian regime’s brutality. Now they are trying to crush him with spurious accusations of endangering national security and criticising the regime. We know – the world knows – that Mansour’s only crime in their eyes is to have asserted his right to belong to a trade union.”
He added that the international trade union movement would continue to fight on behalf of Osanloo and his colleagues, promising a new wave of protests and to alert the International Labour Organization.
Osanloo, President of the trade union representing workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, which has been violently repressed by the Iranian authorities has been made a particular target for imprisonment and brutal attacks.
Last week, the ITF’s executive board meeting in Tunis passed an emergency resolution which included a call for the immediate release of all imprisoned trade unionists in Iran and for the government to allow the full exercise of freedom of association rights by all Iranian workers. European dockers have also pledged to support Osanloo and the other imprisoned trade unionists.
Since issuing the statement, the ITF has received reports that Ebrahim Madadi has also received a two-year prison sentence and that another representative of the bus workers’ union has been summoned to court. The ITF fears that the summons could lead to the announcement of a prison sentence. It is also believed that Osanloo will today visit hospital for further treatment on his eye; it is expected that he will be returned to prison immediately afterwards.
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