Tehran Bus Workers' Syndicate Calls for the Release of Davood Razavi, Ebrahim Madadi, and Political Prisoners

The Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company on Thursday, October 5, called for the immediate and unconditional release of Davood Razavi, a board member of the imprisoned organization, noting that two years have passed since his "unjust detention and imprisonment." This independent labor organization also demanded the release of Ebrahim Madadi, another imprisoned founding member of the syndicate, as well as other imprisoned workers, teachers, women, and civil activists. Mr. Razavi was arrested by the security forces of the Islamic Republic on October 5, 2022, and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. According to the statement, after spending 21 days in solitary confinement in Ward 209, he was moved to Ward 240 of the same prison and suddenly transferred to Hall 6 of Greater Tehran Prison on December 27, 2022, without prior notice. The syndicate pointed out that during this time, Davood Razavi was held in limbo with the extension of his temporary detention. Furthermore, the Supreme Court has rejected the request for retrial for Davood Razavi for the second time. Subsequently, his trial took place on March 6, 2023, after five months of uncertainty, in Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court presided over by Abolqasem Salavati, where he was charged with "collusion and conspiracy against national security." According to the court ruling issued in June of last year, he was sentenced to five years of imprisonment and two years of prohibition from online activities and participation in political groups and parties. Following an appeal against the ruling and submission of a brief to the appellate court on July 2 of this year, his five-year prison sentence was upheld in Branch 36 of the Appeals Court. Since then, Davood Razavi's request for retrial has been rejected twice, and recently his request for leave was denied for the second time by his interrogator. Despite being 64 years old and suffering from gastrointestinal diseases and multiple physical ailments, and despite doctors' emphasis on continuing treatment, he has not been granted medical leave during these two years of detention. The syndicate emphasized that Davood Razavi, a union worker, has only pursued the demands of himself and his colleagues; demands that are considered the most basic rights of all workers according to the country's official laws and the conventions of the International Labor Organization, of which Iran is a formal member. Currently, Mr. Razavi is imprisoned in Ward 4 of Evin Prison after being transferred from Greater Tehran Prison. Ebrahim Madadi, a founding member and veteran activist of the Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence agents on August 12. The syndicate noted that Mr. Madadi was previously arrested on April 28, 2015, in Tehran, and was sentenced to five years and three months in both the primary and appellate courts, a ruling later overturned by the Supreme Court. Following the annulment of the issued sentence, Ebrahim Madadi was sentenced to one year in prison in the appellate court, which had not been executed until now due to his follow-up and multiple health issues. However, this veteran labor activist was arrested on Sunday after being summoned again to the enforcement branch and transferred to Evin Prison, where he is currently being held in quarantine. The Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran Bus Company stated that Ebrahim Madadi's summons and arrest occurred while he suffers from multiple health issues, including diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and prostate problems, as well as hearing difficulties. He, who retired several years ago, has a history of security and judicial confrontations with the Islamic Republic due to "defending workers' rights and union activities" and has been arrested and imprisoned multiple times.