The Five-Year Prison Sentence of Davood Rezavi Confirmed by Appeals Court

On Sunday, July 9, the Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company announced in a statement that the appeals court has confirmed the five-year prison sentence against Davood Rezavi, a jailed member of the board of this labor organization. According to the report, Mr. Rezavi's defense attorney informed his family that Branch 36 of the appeals court, after receiving a petition against the 'unjust sentence against this imprisoned worker,' stated in a notification on July 2 that after review, the five-year prison sentence has been upheld. The Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company pointed out that Davood Rezavi's case was 'transferred from Branch 15 to Branch 36 within two days, and the appeals court's ruling was issued and finalized.' The independent labor organization added: 'We will not forget that while even your own laws are being violated, the appeals court is holding a hearing for an imprisoned worker with such speed and urgency and without any leniency, while the cases of embezzlers among your own people take years to be reviewed, and ultimately, they are either acquitted or, despite apparent sentences, remain outside of prison.' In this regard, Reza Shahabi, a jailed member of the board of the Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, wrote in a letter published on Sunday in the Telegram channel of this organization that 'what we have seen so far in behaviors, sentences, privileges, pardons, etc., has not been for the people of the underprivileged and the poor, the barefoot and the workers and toilers. Everything (freedom, housing, work, welfare, etc.) has been for the insiders, read for the oligarchy.' Mr. Shahabi added: 'One of the discriminations we face every day is the daily, weekly, monthly leaves, and leaving prison in a personal car (early morning) and entering prison at 10 PM (for Hassan Rayat), freedom with an unclear status for Akbar Tabari, conditional releases, and hospital and workplace transfers for those responsible for today's economic problems, and of course, pardons and clemency are all exclusive to insiders.' The Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company strongly protested the confirmation of the 'oppressive sentence' against Davood Rezavi in its statement, writing that Davood Rezavi, as a worker and a board member of the syndicate, 'his only crime is defending the basic rights of workers.' The statement noted that the baseless accusations and case fabrication against Mr. Rezavi 'lack any legal and legitimate basis,' and if there were an 'independent and fair' appeals court in Iran, he should have been acquitted and released. The syndicate concluded by demanding the unconditional release of its imprisoned members; Davood Rezavi, Hassan Saeidi, and Reza Shahabi, as well as other labor and civil activists. Additionally, it was noted that European labor unions have called for the release of three imprisoned labor and civil activists. Mr. Rezavi and Shahabi, two board members, and Mr. Saeidi, a member of the Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, were arrested last year on charges of meeting with Cecile Muller and Jacques Paris, two French union activists, in Tehran. In this context, several labor activists and teachers were also arrested, some of whom are still imprisoned, and prison sentences have been issued for some. Reports indicate that Reza Shahabi and Hassan Saeidi have previously been sentenced to six years in prison. All detainees have denied the charges brought against them by security agencies and the judiciary, as well as by the Islamic Republic's television. A large number of labor organizations, teachers, and retirees in Iran and labor and professional unions worldwide have also called for the release of all detainees in this security case, deeming the meeting of union activists legal under the International Labor Organization's conventions. Furthermore, Reza Shahabi, a jailed labor activist, has called for the expulsion of the Islamic Republic from the International Labor Organization. The European Trade Union Confederation has criticized the Islamic Republic's treatment of workers. New case fabrication against three imprisoned labor activists has been condemned by the Syndicate of the Tehran Bus Company. The Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran Bus Company has called for the abolition of the death penalty for political and general prisoners. Several detained teachers and labor activists have been released on heavy bails. Protests over living conditions and pressure on labor activists continue; the lawyer of Davood Rezavi has warned about his health status. Ongoing security and judicial actions against labor and professional activists in Iran persist. An eight-month uncertainty for a board member of the Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran Bus Company continues in prison.