Labor Unions in France and Denmark Demand Cancellation of Sharifeh Mohammadi's Death Sentence and Her Immediate Release

Five labor unions in France and eight labor unions in Denmark issued statements protesting the death sentence handed down to Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist imprisoned in Lakan Prison in Rasht, and called for the cancellation of this sentence and her immediate release. The Democratic Labor Confederation, the General Confederation of Labor, the United Trade Union Confederation, the Solidarity Trade Union, and the National Confederation of Independent Unions wrote in a joint statement on Friday, July 22, that Sharifeh Mohammadi's 'only crime' was 'defending citizens' rights and also helping to establish independent labor organizations from the government about 10 years ago.' According to the channel of the Union of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, the statement highlighted the physical and psychological torture of Ms. Mohammadi in prison, following her arrest on December 14 of last year, mentioning her 'months of solitary confinement' and 'deprivation of visits with family, especially her young child.' These five French labor unions urged the officials of the Islamic Republic to revoke Sharifeh Mohammadi's death sentence and release her immediately. They also emphasized the need to stop the use of torture, abolish the death penalty, and free all political prisoners. Additionally, eight Danish labor unions condemned the issuance of the death sentence for Sharifeh Mohammadi and noted that workers in Iran are deprived of the right to form independent organizations to defend themselves in their struggle against deplorable conditions. The Confederation of Workers' Unions, the Union of Workers in Various Service and Distribution Sectors, the FOE Labor Union, the National Union of Child Educators, the Union of Construction and Green Space Workers, the Union of IT Professionals, the Union of Nurses in Denmark, and the Union of Academics in Denmark emphasized in their joint statement that 'the struggle for workers' rights should never be considered a crime, and the death sentence for Sharifeh Mohammadi is merely a sign of the repression and inhumanity of the Iranian regime.' They called on all labor organizations, women, and human rights advocates to demand the immediate cancellation of this 'unjust' sentence and to defend the unconditional and immediate release of Sharifeh Mohammadi and all political prisoners. Previously, the General Confederation of Labor in Italy also called for the cancellation of the death sentence and the release of Sharifeh Mohammadi on Thursday, July 21, urging the Italian government and EU institutions to mobilize in this direction and demand the Islamic Republic to revoke her conviction and death sentence. This Italian labor confederation, with over 5 million members, assessed the issuance of the death sentence for Ms. Mohammadi as 'part of a systematic strategy by security institutions to spread terror among social movements and marginalize them in future political developments in Iran.' The Italian General Confederation of Labor pointed to 'the struggles of Iranian women and men in the Woman, Life, Freedom movement' as their will 'to initiate profound and fundamental changes' in Iran, emphasizing that 'the death sentence for a labor and civil activist is a sign of weakness and division within the Islamic Republic, which shows clear signs of instability.' The statement indicated that the goal of the Islamic Republic is 'to create terror in civil society and the political opposition with the aim of forcing people into obedience through coercion and violence in all forms.' In recent days, human rights activists and organizations, labor and professional groups in Iran, as well as human rights organizations and labor unions worldwide, along with several Iranian activists such as Masih Alinejad and Hamid Ismailioun, have condemned the issuance of the death sentence for Ms. Mohammadi. Protests by retirees in several cities in Iran and demonstrations by Iranian protesters in Europe and Canada have also emphasized the need to revoke the death sentence of this labor activist and secure her release.