Summoning and Trial of Two Labor Activists in Tehran

The Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company reported that Ebrahim Madadi, a board member of this labor organization, has been summoned to Branch 36 of the Court of Appeals. According to this report, Mr. Madadi must appear in the Revolutionary Court on December 3. Ebrahim Madadi, along with Davood Razavi, another board member of the Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, was arrested by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence at their homes at midnight on April 27 last year and was released after 22 days on a bail of 100 million tomans from Ward 209 of Evin Prison. Reports indicate that at that time, Mr. Madadi was sentenced to 10 years and 3 months of imprisonment in the Revolutionary Court, while Mr. Razavi was sentenced to five years in prison. The Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company also announced that the appeal court for Davood Razavi was held on Saturday in Branch 36 of the Revolutionary Court without the presence of a judge and prosecutor. According to this report, this labor activist stated in his defense, which was read in court, that he has only worked to defend the rights of his colleagues and workers and does not accept the charges of conspiracy against national security. Typically, labor and professional activists, such as teachers' rights activists, are arrested and imprisoned in Iran on security charges. These actions have drawn widespread criticism from human rights organizations and international labor unions. Nevertheless, officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran always claim that they interact with labor organizations and support workers' organizing. In this context, the Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company condemned the issuance of 'unjust sentences' against union and labor activists and called for the release of all imprisoned labor activists, especially Reza Shahabi, another member of this organization. Some reports indicate that Mr. Shahabi is imprisoned in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj under conditions where he suffers from multiple illnesses, and a promise from a senior security official to review his request for freedom and to be sent to a hospital for treatment has not been fulfilled. Previously, the Workers' Rights Defenders Association announced last week that agents from the Evin Prosecutor's Office visited the home of Alireza Saqafi, the secretary of this labor organization, on October 31, armed with an arrest warrant and entry order, and informed his family that he must present himself to the Evin Prosecutor's Office on Saturday to begin his three-year prison sentence. So far, there has been no news regarding Mr. Saqafi's visit to Evin Prison. He was arrested on International Workers' Day, May 1, 2009, along with dozens of labor activists in Laleh Park and was imprisoned for 40 days.