French Unions Call for the Release of Imprisoned Labor and Civil Rights Activists in Iran

The French union collective, comprising five major unions in the country, issued a joint statement expressing their ongoing concern regarding the situation in Iran, particularly the dire circumstances faced by activists defending workers' rights and human rights. These five French unions welcomed the release of Reza Shahabi and Hassan Saidi, members of the Tehran Bus Workers' Union, and Keyvan Mohtadi, a member of the Iranian Writers' Association, while calling for the immediate release of Davood Razavi, Ebrahim Madadi, Reyhaneh Ansarinezhad, Anisha Asadollahi, Ismail Gerami, and Rasoul Badaghi, imprisoned labor and civil rights activists. Rasoul Badaghi, a jailed teacher who has been imprisoned in Evin Prison since May 2022, was granted a one-week leave on Monday, September 17. Additionally, it was noted that the 'Revolutionary Court' sentenced Ismail Gerami to one year in prison for 'participating in retirees' protests.' This labor activist and member of the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Associations has been arrested multiple times due to his union activities and has spent many years in prison. The French Democratic Confederation of Labor, the General Confederation of Labor, the United Confederation of Labor, the Solidarity Trade Union (SoliDar), and the National Union of Independent Unions expressed deep concern over the conditions of imprisoned labor, civil, and human rights activists in Iran, particularly mentioning Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist, and Pakhshan Azizi, a civil activist, who have been sentenced to death. They called for the release of these two, as well as Varisha Moradi and Nasim Gholami Fard. These unions declared that they will not tolerate the harassment of union activists anywhere in the world and emphasized their commitment to continue their struggle on the global stage, fighting for the Iranian government to respect fundamental freedoms, including labor union rights. In recent years, the Islamic Republic's security and judicial crackdowns on workers, retirees, teachers, and other wage earners in Iran have intensified. In this context, labor activists in various regions of Iran have been summoned, threatened, or imprisoned. These actions have drawn severe criticism from labor unions worldwide. Emphasis on 'continuation of protests' on the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death; the Iranian Writers' Association stated that any change is only possible through the power of the people. The continued imprisonment of Hashem Khashtaar and Javad Laleh Mohammadi; the National Teachers' Association stated it is painful for individuals to be imprisoned for union activities. Hadi Jalali, a teacher in Kerman, has been accused of 'forming a group to disrupt national security.' The seventh day of labor strikes in a subsidiary of Shasta; several protesters from Baraz Rubber in Kerman were arrested. Amnesty International stated that Sharifeh Mohammadi's trial was 'grossly unfair'; the death sentence must be revoked.