International Transport Workers' Federation: Madadi and Razavi are Unjustly Imprisoned

The International Transport Workers' Federation condemned the "repression of labor activists" in various countries and called for the immediate release of imprisoned activists in these countries, including Ibrahim Madadi and Davood Razavi, two imprisoned members of the board of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Workers' Syndicate, who are "unjustly imprisoned or in exile." The federation's statement emphasized: "Union activists often pay a heavy price for defending the rights and dignity of those who keep our world moving." Stephen Cotton, the General Secretary of the International Transport Workers' Federation, stated: "Attacks on labor activists are attacks on all of us. The global labor movement today and every day of every year expresses solidarity with those who are pressured by anti-democratic governments for their union activities." He stressed: "The collective power of labor unions is the strongest force against issues that cause societal division" and referenced statistics prepared by the federation, noting that "78% of countries worldwide violate the right to strike, 79% violate the right to collective bargaining, 74% prevent or reject the registration of labor unions, and 43% restrict freedom of expression and assembly." According to the International Transport Workers' Federation's website, workers in this sector and their unions often suffer the most from violations of their fundamental rights, and criminalization, retaliation, and targeted attacks on their leaders continue to be prevalent worldwide. The federation specifically pointed to Iran, stating that the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Workers' Syndicate has long been "a primary target of government repression." The report mentioned two retired workers, Ibrahim Madadi and Davood Razavi, who are key figures in this syndicate and are "unjustly imprisoned due to their union activities." Ibrahim Madadi, who was previously the vice president of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Workers' Syndicate, was re-arrested by the Islamic Republic's security forces this summer. He has been arrested and imprisoned multiple times due to his union activities and is currently facing serious health issues. Davood Razavi, a board member of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Workers' Syndicate, was arrested three years ago in the fall for union activities and meeting with representatives of French unions, Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, in Tehran, and spent four months in solitary confinement under severe interrogation. He is also in Evin Prison and recently required hospital treatment due to medical issues. The International Transport Workers' Federation noted that such cases are "symbols of widespread systematic repression" and emphasized: "Meeting with union colleagues or attempting to celebrate International Workers' Day has been redefined as a crime by Iranian authorities." The federation reiterated its commitment to stand alongside all union activists who have been harassed and to tirelessly advocate for the fundamental rights of transport workers worldwide. The federation called on governments around the world to demand an end to political persecutions and to repeal harsh and punitive laws used to harass union activists. International organizations were also urged to take legal actions to protect labor activists like Ibrahim Madadi and Davood Razavi. The federation stressed: "Workers' rights are the foundation of social justice, and without them, democracy cannot flourish." In recent years, the Islamic Republic's security and judicial crackdowns on labor activists have intensified alongside the expansion of workers' protests. Currently, several labor activists are imprisoned on security charges, and Sharifeh Mohammadi has also been sentenced to death. These crackdowns have drawn widespread criticism from human rights organizations and labor unions worldwide.