Several Labor Organizations and Unions: Reza Shahabi Must Be Released

Simultaneously with reports about Reza Shahabi, the imprisoned labor activist, suffering a stroke and the refusal of the officials at Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj to transfer him to a hospital, several labor organizations in Iran and labor unions worldwide have called for his immediate release. Five major labor unions in France also sent a letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, requesting 'special attention to the situation of Reza Shahabi, the imprisoned board member of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company.' Previously, the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company had announced that Reza Shahabi had suffered a 'mild stroke' in prison but 'had not been sent to the hospital.' According to the Telegram channel of this union and the Committee for the Defense of Reza Shahabi, his family learned during a visit on December 13 that 'the left side of Reza's face was drooping and there was a depression under his eye.' In this regard, Mr. Shahabi told his family that the doctor at Rajai Shahr prison informed him that he had suffered a mild stroke. A relative of Reza Shahabi also told Radio Farda that his stroke was of the 'mild cerebral' type. According to the Socialist Solidarity Group with Workers of Iran - France and the International Union in Support of Workers in Iran - Paris, the letter requested that if Iranian officials do not take responsibility for Reza Shahabi's life situation, they should allow him to go to France for treatment. A copy of this letter was also sent to the President of Iran and the head of the judiciary. Furthermore, according to the International Union in Support of Workers in Iran, the German Service Workers Union, with over 2.2 million members, reported on the treatment of labor activists in Iran, stating that 'Reza Shahabi's situation remains unclear, and he is being denied any medical treatment.' In the meantime, the Free Workers Union of Iran, referring to reports about Reza Shahabi's stroke, wrote: 'No serious attention has been given to his situation.' This labor organization pointed out that 'this is not the first time that officials of the prison organization and the judiciary have shown indifference to the physical condition of prisoners' and added that they use medical care for prisoners as 'a tool to exert more pressure on them and their families.' The Free Workers Union of Iran condemned the lack of immediate medical attention to Reza Shahabi's physical condition and his continued imprisonment. This labor organization emphasized the responsibility of the prison organization and the judiciary regarding any physical harm to Reza Shahabi, demanding his immediate and unconditional release and his transfer for medical treatment to hospitals outside of prison. Additionally, the Syndicate of Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company, in a statement expressing concern over the worsening health of Reza Shahabi, wrote: 'The cause of Reza Shahabi's illness is all those who imprisoned him and continue to prevent his release.' Previously, the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company had stated that the physical ailments of this labor activist 'are due to the beatings by security agents during his arrest in 2010 and the beatings during interrogation.' This accusation has been repeated many times, but security and judicial officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran have not responded to it. The Syndicate of Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company, in its statement, strongly protested against Reza Shahabi's imprisonment and called for his immediate and unconditional release. Hossein Habibi, the secretary of the Coordination Council of Islamic Labor Councils of Tehran Province, also expressed concern about Reza Shahabi's health in an interview with ILNA news agency, adding that since the doctor who examined him has also certified that Shahabi can no longer endure prison, he hopes that given his deteriorating health condition, the prosecutor will agree to his release. He emphasized that since Shahabi's activities are labor-related and in defense of his colleagues' rights, security measures against this labor activist should be stopped. Previously, Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, the head of the judiciary, had stated in a meeting with students on December 13 in response to a question about Reza Shahabi that 'according to the prosecutor's report, this individual was a link to the hypocrites in Iran and was receiving money from the hypocrites.' When Reza Shahabi presented himself to Rajai Shahr prison on August 9 under pressure from the prosecutor's office, he found out that his medical leave prescribed by forensic medicine had been rejected by the prosecutor's office, and he had to remain in prison for another 968 days. In response to this situation, Reza Shahabi went on a hunger strike, but on the fifth of Mehr, after 50 days of hunger strike, following requests from his family, the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, and some other labor organizations in Iran and the world, as well as after the promise of a 'senior security official' to seriously address his demands, he ended his hunger strike. This imprisoned board member of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company is demanding the cancellation of his 968-day prison sentence. However, no news has been published regarding addressing this demand. Earlier, the International Transport Workers Federation, the International Confederation of Trade Unions, and the Global Union of Industrial Workers had called for Reza Shahabi's release.