Tuesday, September 04, 2007
from Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburban Bus (Vahed) Company to Louis Arbour
September 3, 2007, TehranTo: Ms. Louis Arbour; United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
From: Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburban Bus (Vahed) Company
Greetings. When Workers of Tehran and Suburban Bus (Vahed) Company felt that they needed their own real representatives members of Founding Board of Revival and Reestablishment of Syndicate of Workers of Vahed’s Company decided to reestablish the Syndicate since they had been deprived of their legal rights without any reasons. Vahed’s Company’s workers welcomed it but it faced with indignation of agents from the Islamic Labor Council and Workers House who attacked Syndicate’s office which located at Hasanabad Square in presence of Disciplinary Forces on May 9, 2005. As a result of this raid Mansour Osanloo was wounded, several workers were beaten up and the Syndicate’s promise was destroyed. Following this raid the wounded syndicate’s members submitted the complaint to the Public Persecutor Office and Syndicate’s members decided to call for the Syndicate General Assembly. The General Assembly held on June 3, 2005 in which a large number of workers attended and the Syndicate’s Constitution was approved and the members of the Syndicate’s Executive Board were elected. Following this election the syndicate’s Executive Board in defense of Workers Rights wrote several peaceful letters to the managers of Vahed’s Company but sorrowfully they haven’t received any responses from the Company’s managers. As the first protest Syndicate asked the bus drivers to keep lights on as they were driving and it was welcomed spectacularly by the bus drivers. Following this protest several of Syndicate’s members were arrested and after three days they were released unconditionally.
On December 22, 2005 some of the members of the syndicate’s Executive Board were arrested in front of their houses and taken to Evin Prison. Those members of the Executive Board who were not arrested called for one day strike at the workplaces on December 25, 2005. The strike took place and the Tehran Mayor attended and made promises for the trade union activities as well as release detained workers. Following these promises the workers decided to leave their work places and start their work. However, none of those promises have been fulfilled and Mansour Osanloo held in ward 209 of Evin Prison as it was before. After this incident workers asked for action and the Syndicate’s Executive Board decided for another strike on January 28, 2006 which ended up with the detention of a large number of workers who were taken to Evin Prison prior to the strike to prevent them from this protest action. The arrested workers were released but the members of the Syndicate’s Executive Board and activists were not allowed to return to their work. Mansour Osanloo was released on $150,000 bail after 7 months being in prison due to his family and Syndicate’s efforts. He continued his trade union activities after he was released.
After three months he was again arrested by the Security Agents and was released on $30,000 bail after one month detention. He didn’t deny his syndicate’s right and continued his trade union activities after he was released again. He later was invited to London and Brussels to attend the annual ITF and ITUC General Council meetings as the Syndicate’s elected representative by International Trade Union Confederation and International Transport Workers’ Federation. He left the country legally with the official Visa and returned after Congress. After about one month he was arrested near his house and taken to Evin Prison by Security Agents. Following this detention ITUC and ITF called for the International Action Day on August 9, 2007 to support Osanloo and the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburban Bus (Vahed) Company and the Syndicate collectively decided to go to Osanloo’s house on that day to express their sympathy with his Family. Five members of Syndicate and two other people were arrested and taken to Evin Prison on August 9, 2007as they were about entering Osanloo’s house. The five arrested Syndicate’s members were Ebrahim Madadi, Saied Davoud Razavi, Ebrahim Norouzi Gohari, Yaghoub Salimi and Homayoun Jaberi. Due to the attempts were taken by the Syndicate’s members and families of the arrested people two Syndicate’s members; Ebrahim Norouzi Gohari and Yaghoub Salimi as well as the other two arrested people were released on bail. However, until the date of writing this letter Ebrahim Madadi, Saied Davoud Razavi, Homayoun Jaberi and Mansour Osanloo are still in Evin Prison.
Dear Ms Louis Arbour , the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, as you are completely aware, the members of the Syndicate’s Executive Board and Activists illegally have been deprived of their legitimate Rights and social security for last two years. We request the Human Rights Organization’s intervention in this matter.
Yours Sincerely
Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburban Bus (Vahed) Company
CC to:
Mr. Guy Ryder; ITUC General Secretary
Mr. David Cockroft; ITF General Secretary
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