Mobilise to stop the Saghez activists’ trial!

[Louis Pio]

Iranian Workers' Solidarity Network

شبکه همبستگی کارگری



BM IWSN, London WC1N 3XX, England.

[email protected] - http://iwsn.topcities.com/



Mobilise to stop the Saghez activists’ trial!



The May Day 2004 rally in Saghez (in Iranian Kurdistan) led to clashes with the police and the arrest of seven workers and labour activists. Following an eleven day hunger strike by the arrested, and a number of local and international campaigns, Mahmood Salehi, Jalal Hosseini, Mohammad Abdipoor, Borhan Divangar, Hadi Tanoomand, Esmail Khodkam and Mohsen Hakimi were all released on bail.

The Iranian regime is now intent on undoing this labour movement victory. Four of those arrested in May, Mahmood Salehi, Mohammad Abadipoor, Borhan Divangar and Jalal Hosseini, are due to appear in court on 23 and 24 August. Although they were originally arrested and charged for taking part in an “illegal gathering” they are now being tried for membership of Komala, a banned Kurdish organisation.

These new trumped-up charges make it clear to everyone that the regime was stung by having to release the activists. It obviously does not want the May Day victory to set a precedent for the Iranian labour movement and is determined to break the workers’ renewed self-confidence.

In May Iranian Workers’ Solidarity Network (IWSN) called for the immediate and unconditional release of the Saghez detainees and received a big international response. We now call on all international progressive organisations and forces to send protest letters to the authorities of the Iranian government demanding that all so-called ‘legal proceedings’ against the accused to be dropped.

While we think it is important that the Lawyers Without Borders delegation be allowed into Iran, and that it should have full access to the court proceedings and the prosecution’s case against the accused, we believe, that above all, it is the campaign to build and send an international workers’ delegation to Iran that can truly oversee the working and living conditions of workers in Iran and the political and legal framework they have for voicing and fighting for their just demands.





Steering Committee of Iranian Workers’ Solidarity Network

15 August 2004

http://www.marxist.com/appeals/saghez_trial.htm

[Louis Pio]

The campaign has actually had effect. So we should continue to pressure them, it's a good example of the effect international solidarity can have.

Workers’ Action Committee




Support for the Saghez activists continues!


Mahmood Salehi’s trial did not take place!
Solidarity action continues!


According to reports from Saghez on the first day of the sham trial of the labour activists Mahmood Salehi appeared in court with his lawyers but the judge was apparently ‘on leave’.

Going ‘on leave’ on an important day like this demonstrates that international pressure and the protests of labour activists in three continents have thrown the regime into disarray and in this way it wants to delay the trial until things quieten down. But it does not know that solidarity with the Saghez labour activists will continue until all the charges against all of them have been dropped.

The Islamic regime of Iran must learn that the workers of the world will not abandon the workers of Iran.

Like last week, all the embassies and consulates of the regime throughout the world will be answerable for the regime’s behaviour. The regime will face mass protests throughout the world. Bigger demonstrations involving more forces will be organised.

Workers’ Action Committee (Iran) and Iranian Workers’ Solidarity Network (in exile)

[email protected]

23 September 2004

http://www.marxist.com/appeals/salehi_trial.htm

[Louis Pio]

The campaign has actually had effect. So we should continue to pressure them, it's a good example of the effect international solidarity can have.

Workers’ Action Committee




Support for the Saghez activists continues!


Mahmood Salehi’s trial did not take place!
Solidarity action continues!


According to reports from Saghez on the first day of the sham trial of the labour activists Mahmood Salehi appeared in court with his lawyers but the judge was apparently ‘on leave’.

Going ‘on leave’ on an important day like this demonstrates that international pressure and the protests of labour activists in three continents have thrown the regime into disarray and in this way it wants to delay the trial until things quieten down. But it does not know that solidarity with the Saghez labour activists will continue until all the charges against all of them have been dropped.

The Islamic regime of Iran must learn that the workers of the world will not abandon the workers of Iran.

Like last week, all the embassies and consulates of the regime throughout the world will be answerable for the regime’s behaviour. The regime will face mass protests throughout the world. Bigger demonstrations involving more forces will be organised.

Workers’ Action Committee (Iran) and Iranian Workers’ Solidarity Network (in exile)

[email protected]

23 September 2004

http://www.marxist.com/appeals/salehi_trial.htm

[Louis Pio]

The campaign has actually had effect. So we should continue to pressure them, it's a good example of the effect international solidarity can have.

Workers’ Action Committee




Support for the Saghez activists continues!


Mahmood Salehi’s trial did not take place!
Solidarity action continues!


According to reports from Saghez on the first day of the sham trial of the labour activists Mahmood Salehi appeared in court with his lawyers but the judge was apparently ‘on leave’.

Going ‘on leave’ on an important day like this demonstrates that international pressure and the protests of labour activists in three continents have thrown the regime into disarray and in this way it wants to delay the trial until things quieten down. But it does not know that solidarity with the Saghez labour activists will continue until all the charges against all of them have been dropped.

The Islamic regime of Iran must learn that the workers of the world will not abandon the workers of Iran.

Like last week, all the embassies and consulates of the regime throughout the world will be answerable for the regime’s behaviour. The regime will face mass protests throughout the world. Bigger demonstrations involving more forces will be organised.

Workers’ Action Committee (Iran) and Iranian Workers’ Solidarity Network (in exile)

[email protected]

23 September 2004

http://www.marxist.com/appeals/salehi_trial.htm