Category: Labor and Guilds

Reza Shahabi on Hunger Strike After 18 Months of Imprisonment

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Labor and Guilds
Reza Shahabi

HRANA News Agency – On Tuesday, November 22, 2011, Reza Shahabi began his hunger strike to protest against 18 months of imprisonment and legal state of limbo.Reza Shahabi is a labor activist and the board member of SWTSBC, the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Reza Shahabi was taken into temporary custody on June 12, 2010 and locked up in Evin Prison.Since then, he has been imprisoned indefinitely in a legal state of limbo.

Recently, during a phone conversation with his family, Reza Shahabi informed them that he no longer could bear the current conditions and would begin his hunger strike on Tuesday, November 22, 2011.

Reza Shahabi has begun his hunger strike while he is in very poor health.According to medical experts, due to the loss of cartilage between some of his spinal vertebral joints and excessive pressure applied to his spinal nerves, Reza Shahabi might lose total control over his left arm and leg.Furthermore, the labor activist suffers from extreme pain in his neck, waist and hands and is experiencing heart and kidney problems.

Given Reza Shahabi’s current medical condition, a hunger strike can cause further irreparable damage to his health.

Copyright © 2009-2011 All Rights Reserved

Appeals Court Upheld Heavy Prison Terms for Labor Activists in Tabriz

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Labor and Guilds
Mohammad Jarahi, Nima Pouryaghob, Sasan Vahebivash, Shahrokh Zamani

HRANA News Agency – The Appeals Court has upheld heavy prison sentences issued for four leftist labor activists from Tabriz, East Azerbaijan Province.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the sixth branch of the Appeals Court in East Azerbaijan Province upheld the verdicts against Shahrokh Zamani, Nima Pouryaghob, Mohammad Jarahi and Sasan Vahebivash.

On August 18, 2011, the first branch of the Revolutionary Court in Tabriz sentenced Shahrokh Zamani to 11 years, Nima Pouryaghob to 6 years, Mohammad Jarahi to 5 years and Sasan Vahebivash to 6 months in prison.A fifth defender, Buick Sydler, was found not guilty.Charges against these labor activists included organizing opposition groups, acting against national security and propaganda against the regime.

Nima Pouryaghob is studying mechanical engineering and Sasan Vahebivash is majoring in biomedical engineering at Tabriz Azad University.Shahrokh Zamani is a member of the Representatives’ Council in the Coordinating Committee to Create Labor Organizations and also a member of the Painters Union.Mohammad Jarahi is a labor activist.Although Shahrokh Zamani was unable to post his heavy bail for a while, all four labor activists are currently free on bail.

The verdicts issued against these political activists are unprecedented in Tabriz in the recent few years.

Copyright © 2009-2011 All Rights Reserved

Dairy Manufacturers Demonstrated in Front of Ministry of Industries

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Labor and Guilds
Iran

HRANA News Agency – Dozens of nation’s dairy producers gathered in front of the Ministry of Industries and Business to protest against the government’s policies and the failure to allocate subsidiaries resulted from the Targeted Plan to the manufacturers.

According to a report by Asr Iran Website, demonstrators gathered in front of the Ministry of Industries and Business building on Monday, October 31, 2011 and shouted slogans.Protestors announced that the Iranian government has failed to pay its debt approximately equivalent to $170,000,000 owed to dairy products manufacturers.

During these protests, a reporter was arrested briefly and his camera was seized.The reporter was released after all of the pictures were deleted from his camera.

Copyright © 2009-2011 All Rights Reserved

82-Year Old Iraqi Attorney Hassan Tafah in Critical Condition

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Labor and Guilds
Hassan Abdul-Hassan Tafah, Hassan Tafah

HRANA News Agency – Hassan Abdul-Hassan Tafah’s physical health has deteriorated further, and he is in critical condition.Hassan Tafah is an 82-year old lawyer and human rights activist of Iraqi descent convicted of spying and locked up in Ward 4, Hall 12 in Rajai-Shahr Prison.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), in 2008, Hassan Tafah was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court on charges of spying.He suffers from a number of medical problems including anemia, low blood pressure, kidney and prostate diseases.Furthermore, he has recently been diagnosed with blood cancer.

Iranian judiciary officials have taken no major steps towards providing medical care for Hassan Tafah and have made every effort to block his access to health care.

Hassan Tafah is originally from the southern Iraqi city of Basra, an attorney and a former member of Communist Party of Iraq before seeking refuge in Iran.He was arrested in 2007 during negotiations and talks with Iranian intelligence and security officials and charged with spying.The Revolutionary Court then found him guilty, sentenced him to 15 years in prison and fined him approximately $180,000.

Copyright © 2009-2011 All Rights Reserved

31 Women Drivers Forced out of United Bus Company of Tehran

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Labor and Guilds, Women
Farahnaz Shiri

HRANA News Agency – Farahnaz Shiri together with 30 other women bus drivers have been forced out of the United Bus Company of Tehran (UBCT) while none of them knows the reason for the mandatory buyback of their employment service.Farahnaz Shiri was the first driver of Bus Rapid Transit System (BRT) in Tehran serving the route between Azadi Square to East Depot.She is also the recipient of Appreciation Award for Transportation Day in Iran.

In an interview with Shargh News, Farahnaz Shiri said, “When Mr. Bijani was the director of UBCT, I joined the company with his support and encouragement in September 11, 2007. I continued to work at UBCT until March 11, 2010.By then, my contract had ended for six months, but no one paid any attention to my requests to renew it.”

Farahnaz Shiri added, “Finally, UBCT decided to offer me a new contract although according to Labor Laws, the old contract had to be renewed.Five other women bus drivers had become permanent employees before me, but I was left in a state of limbo.Although I followed up vigorously and wrote lots of letters, UBCT refused to offer me permanent employment.This situation continued until April 30th when I was fired.”

Following her dismissal, Farahnaz Shiri took legal actions and returned to work when a judge ordered her reinstatement.Nevertheless, one day in June 2011, when Farahnaz Shiri together with 30 other women bus drivers serving the route between Azadi Square to East Depot went to work, there were no buses for them to drive, and their health insurance payments had lapsed.

Needing medical care for her illness, Farahnaz Shiri told Shargh News, “I don’t have proof of insurance and can’t afford paying the medical bills myself.One day when I went to pick up my bus, my schedule was blocked.Thirty other women also lost their jobs at the same time.The majority of these women are breadwinners and must provide for their families.Before our contracts expired, UBCT forced a mandatory buyback on us.”

Copyright © 2009-2011 All Rights Reserved

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Workers on Strike at Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex – Day 7

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Labor and Guilds
Jasem Bedrani, Mansour Abbasi, Mohammad Bagher Bagheri

HRANA News Agency – Seven days have passed since 1500 workers of Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex in Khuzestan Province began their strike.Free Trade Union of Iranian Workers has reported that security agents have arrested 3 workers and taken them to the Intelligence Agency located at the port city of Bandar Imam Khomeini.

According to reports issued by various labor organizations, three workers, Mansour Abbasi, Mohammad Bagher Bagheri and Jasem Bedrani were summoned by agents and then arrested.Two of the detainees are labor activists and representatives of the striking workers.

In March 2011, the workers of Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex were also on strike which ended after an agreement was reached between the workers, the management of this company and government officials.According to the signed agreement, Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex was given 3 months to dissolve contracting firms in order to offer a uniform corporate employment contract to all of its workers.Unofficial resources have reported that the terms of this agreement has not yet been fulfilled.

It has been reported that the Chief Operating Director of Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex has threatened 1500 striking workers during a speech in front of the managers of contracting firms.Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex is a government-owned corporation in Khuzestan Province.

Copyright © 2009-2011 All Rights Reserved

Workers of Flarc Company on Strike for Unpaid Wages

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Labor and Guilds
Kurdistan

HRANA News Agency – One hundred workers of Flarc Company in Kamyaran County have gone on strike to demand their unpaid wages for the last five months.Flarc Company is a contractor working on a project to build an irrigation system utilizing rain for farmlands.

According to a report by the Coordinating Committee for the Establishment of Labor Organizations, workers of Flarc Company in the village of Alak, Kurdistan Province, are on strike for their back wages.Flarc Company employs 100 workers and staff who haven’t been paid for five months.The workers have been on strike for more than two days and have blocked the company’s entrance preventing managers to enter the building or various equipment to be transported in an out of the grounds.

Copyright © 2009-2011 All Rights Reserved

Heavy Prison Terms for Labor Activists & Students in Tabriz

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Labor and Guilds
Mohammad Jarahi, Nima Pouryaghob, Sasan Vahebivash, Shahrokh Zamani

HRANA News Agency – Shahrokh Zamani, Nima Pouryaghob, Mohammad Jarahi and Sasan Vahebivash have been sentenced to heavy prison terms in Tabriz, Iran.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the aforementioned individuals are labor activists and students in the city of Tabriz.The Revolutionary Court, Branch 1, has issued verdicts sentencing them to a total of 22 years and 6 months in prison.A fifth defender, Buick Sydler, was found not guilty.

Shahrokh Zamani was sentenced to 11 years in prison on charges of organizing an opposition group and propaganda against the regime.

Mohammad Jarahi received a 5 year prison term for organizing an opposition group.Nima Pouryaghob was sentenced to 6 years in prison on charges of organizing an opposition group and propaganda against the regime.

Sasan Vahebivash received a 6 month prison term on charges of the membership in an organization opposing IRI and propaganda against the regime.

The Revolutionary Court, Branch 1, tried and convicted these leftist labor activists and students on August 18, 2011.Prior to this trial, a bail approximately equivalent to $94,000 was set for Nima Pouryaghob while Sasan Vahebivash and Buick Sydler each posted approximately $30,000 bail to be temporally released from Tabriz Prison.

The verdicts issued against these political activists are unprecedented in Tabriz in the recent few years.

 

Six Members of Teachers’ Union of Kurdistan Summoned

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Labor and Guilds
Ali Qarishi, Ezat Nosrati, Kamal Fakorian, Mostafa Sarbazan, Parviz Nasehi

HRANA News Agency – On Monday, July 29, 2011, six labor activists and members of Teachers’ Union of Kurdistan were summoned to the Revolutionary Court.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Kamal Fakorian, Ali Qarishi, Mostafa Sarbazan, Parviz Nasehi and Ezat Nosrati are amongst those summoned on Monday afternoon by phone to appear before the Revolutionary Court in the city of Sanandaj.

Six labor activists have been ordered to report to the Interrogation Unit of the Revolutionary Court, Branch 4, promptly at 8:00am on Tuesday, August 30, 2011.

 

Siavash Eslami’s Lashing Sentence Carried Out

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Labor and Guilds
Siavash Eslami

HRANA News Agency – Siavash Eslami, a board member of Teachers Union in Sari, received 37 lashes according to a verdict handed down by the Appeals Court.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Siavash Eslami is a union activist who has been charged with acting against national security through participating in the events after 2009 presidential elections.He was initially sentenced to 74 lashes, but the Appeals Court later reduced this verdict to 37 lashes.

Siavash Eslami was flagged on Sunday, July 31, 2011, one day before the month of Ramadan began.It has been reported that Siavash Eslami was fasting when taken to Sari Enforcement Bureau to be flogged.

Siavash Eslami has been a teacher for 24 years and holds a master’s degree in political science.He has been teaching Islamic Studies in various high schools in Sari, the capital of Mazandaran Province.