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Campaigners welcome Iranian trade unionist’s release
9 April 2008
 |  | | Mahmoud Salehi: freed from prison last Sunday | |
The international trade union movement and human rights campaigners have welcomed the release from prison of Iranian trade unionist Mahmoud Salehi last Sunday. Salehi spent a year in detention in a high security prison in the Iranian province of Sanandaj.
The International Trade Union Confederation, the ITF and Amnesty International expressed satisfaction at Salehi’s release. A co-founder of the Bakery Workers’ Trade Union in Saqez, Salehi was imprisoned for organising an independent workers’ rally on international labour day on 1 May 2004. The campaigners, however, reminded the Iranian authorities that Mansour Osanloo, President of the Tehran bus workers’ union, who remains in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, and other unjustly imprisoned trade unionists should also be freed.
Last month an international day of action brought trade unionists and human rights activists onto the streets in 35 countries to protest against the imprisonment of Salehi and Osanloo and other trade unionists in detention. A week later, the authorities levelled new charges against Salehi, who had originally been due for release on 23 March. Observers believe these were brought against him in reaction to the day of action.
Salehi was eventually released on Sunday 6 April, reportedly on bail, and has since returned to Saqez, where he was met by family and friends.
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