Iranian Workers Threatened With Flogging

international | worker & community struggles and protests | other press

Thursday February 28, 2008 15:54

by pat c

Urgent appeal to trade unions and human rights organisations around the world to join our protest

Yet another Iranian Trade Unionist is threatened with flogging by the Iranian Theocratic Regime. His "crime"? Participating in "illegal" Mayday demonstrations. Here is an appeal from Iranian Trade Unionists, support them in their struggle against the Iranian Dictatorship.

A summons for the administration of a flogging has now been issued for Tayyeb Chatani for participating in the May 1st event last year. Mr Chatani works at Par Rees factory, where he is an active shop steward. Eleven of the workers arrested for taking part in the May 1st event last year in Sanandaj were sentenced to 91 days in prison and 10 strikes of the lash. The Appeal Court changed the sentences to fines, but upheld the sentence of 10 lashes. So far, the lashing have been carried out in the case of 3 workers: Seddigh Amjadi, Habibollah Kalekaani and Faares Gaviliaan. The only crime of these workers is having participated in the May Day ceremony in Sanandaj.

Mr Chatani and the other workers do not intend to report to the court so they may be arrested and the sentences may be carried out at any moment. NUDU members as well as workers of Shahoo Factory and their families, have decided to assemble outside the court should these workers be detained for the sentences to be carried out.

Fellow workers, labour and human rights organisations around the world!

We appeal to you, to your conscience and humanity, to join our protest. We call on you not to let workers be flogged for taking part in May 1st events. The issuing and execution of the sentence of lashing for workers in Iran for taking part in May Day celebrations is a lash on May Day; a lash on the honour of this day; a lash on the honour of worker. Join us and demand, on a world scale, the immediate revoking of the sentences of lashing for workers in Iran.

National Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers of Iran

25 Feb 2008

http://www.ettehade.net

[email protected]

[Translated by the International Labour Solidarity Committee of the Worker-communist Party of Iran http://www.kargaran.org]

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More Rights Activists condemn Flogging Of Trade Unionists.

Fri Feb 29, 2008 14:38

Shirin Ebadi, from the Tehran-based Center for Defenders of Human Rights and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate has said that the sentences are very alarming.

"A long time ago, the world reached the conclusion that the purpose of punishment is to correct a criminal's behavior and not to take revenge on the individual by enforcing physical punishment on him. Therefore, all physical punishments such as lashings, stonings, and hand amputations are strictly forbidden according to the International Convention Against Torture."

The sentences have also been criticized by two members of the Iranian parliament , Soheila Jolodarzadeh and Mohammad Ali Moghnian, who have called for a special committee to be created to investigate the matter.

Ebrahim Madadi of the Tehran bus drivers' union, was quoted by the "Dastranj" website as saying that the sentences against the workers are an attempt by officials to enforce order and obedience in society. Madadi who was released from prison a few months ago says the floggings have caused surprise and concern.

Several Iranian websites, including http://www.dastranj.ir , a website dedicated to workers' issues, have reported that the carrying out of the verdicts has angered a lot of people in Kurdistan.

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Iranian Workers Threatened With Flogging

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