Union of Workers of the Tehran Bus Company: End the Shackling of Labor Activists and Teachers

The Union of Workers of the Tehran Bus Company criticized the "shackling" of Reza Shahabi, a imprisoned board member of this organization, and the "chaining" of other labor activists and teachers, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Shahabi. According to the union's website, Mr. Shahabi was transferred from Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj to the Imam Khomeini Hospital clinic on Saturday, November 20, due to "physical ailments in the neck, back, and legs." The report states that after being examined by a doctor, he was returned to prison, but he will be transferred again from prison to the hospital for an MRI and further examinations in the coming days. The union expressed dissatisfaction that previously, following the efforts of Mr. Shahabi's wife, Robabeh Rezaei, the Tehran prosecutor's office had announced that he would be sent to the hospital without handcuffs, but this did not happen. The union's statement strongly condemned the "handcuffing of Reza Shahabi and the chaining of labor activists and teachers." The statement indicated that Reza Shahabi "has only defended the rights of workers, and the prison sentence against him is very unjust." The union demanded the "unconditional" release of this imprisoned member and the annulment of the prison sentences of other union members, Ebrahim Madadi and Davood Razavi, who have been sentenced to 10 years and 3 months and 5 years in prison, respectively. The Union of Workers of the Tehran Bus Company also condemned the "imprisonment and police-security-judicial persecution of labor activists, teachers, and other professional activists" in another part of its statement. On October 5, Mr. Shahabi, after a 50-day hunger strike, stopped his hunger strike at the request of his family, the Union of Workers of the Tehran Bus Company, and some other labor organizations in Iran and worldwide, as well as following the promise of a "senior security official" to seriously address his demands. This imprisoned board member of the Union of Workers of the Tehran Bus Company is seeking the annulment of his 968-day prison sentence. He had reported to Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj under pressure from the prosecutor's office in August of this year, only to find out that his medical leave, prescribed by forensic medicine, had been rejected by the prosecutor's office, and he was to remain in prison for another 968 days. In response to this situation, Reza Shahabi went on a hunger strike. The Committee for the Defense of Mahmoud Salehi, another imprisoned labor activist, also reported that he was returned to Saqqez Central Prison on Saturday despite the recommendation of his treating physician. This committee, which is represented by Najibe Salehi, Mahmoud Salehi's wife, accused the judiciary and the Ministry of Intelligence of "jointly thwarting any efforts for Mahmoud Salehi's medical leave and that of his family." This labor activist was arrested on November 7 to serve a one-year sentence, but on November 12, due to the exacerbation of his heart disease, he was transferred to the prison infirmary and then to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Saqqez, where he was hospitalized in the intensive care unit. According to reports, Mahmoud Salehi was under the supervision of three prison guards while hospitalized, and his legs were chained. This labor activist also requires dialysis twice a week due to losing his kidneys while in the detention center of the Sanandaj Intelligence Department, in addition to suffering from diabetes. Seven labor organizations in Iran also issued a joint statement calling the chaining of Mahmoud Salehi's legs "an inhumane method left over from the savagery of the slavery era." Criticism of the treatment of Mahmoud Salehi and other labor activists in Iran comes at a time when government officials typically speak of respecting the principle of workers' organization. However, so far, government officials or the judiciary have not commented on Mahmoud Salehi's situation, including regarding his loss of kidneys in 2015.