EU Presidency backs Iranian trade unionist

14 December 2006

The ITF has welcomed what it describes as the ‘unprecedented’ move by the European Union to go public in its backing for trade union rights in Iran. 

The EU has strongly condemned the re-arrest of trade unionist Mansour Osanloo and urged Iran to respect the rights to freedom of expression and association and to form or join a trade union (the statement is given below and can be seen at www.eu2006.fi/news_and_documents/cfsp_statements/vko50/en_GB/1166010161580)

ITF General Secretary David Cockroft commented: “Today the EU Council – representing all the European Union’s member states, among others – has signalled its concern over this case. This is a significant step forward for the campaign to protect Mansour Osanloo, and one of which the government of Iran must now take note.”

ENDS

 

The EU statement

The EU strongly condemns the re-arrest of Mansour Ossanlou, the President of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, which appears to be without credible justification. The EU is deeply concerned by reports that Mr Ossanlou was arrested by plain clothes officers who did not present an arrest warrant and that he has not been allowed proper access to legal assistance.

The EU urges Iran to respect fully the rights to freedom of expression and association and the right to form or join trade unions. The EU calls on Iran to uphold its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and to honour its commitments under the 1998 ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

The Acceding Countries Bulgaria and Romania, the Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this declaration.

* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

 

For more information contact ITF press officer, Sam Dawson.
Direct line: + 44 (0)20 7940 9260.
Email: dawson_sam@itf.org.uk

International Transport Workers' Federation - ITF:
HEAD OFFICE
ITF House, 49 - 60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DS
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7403 2733
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7375 7871
Email: mail@itf.org.uk
Web: www.itfglobal.org

Back to current press releases