Workers' Syndicate of the Tehran Bus Company Criticizes Security Officials for Opposing Reza Shahabi's Medical Leave

On Wednesday, February 21, the Workers' Syndicate of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company criticized the Islamic Republic's security officials for opposing the request of Reza Shahabi, a imprisoned board member of the organization, for medical leave and conditional release. The syndicate pointed out that Mr. Shahabi, due to damage to his neck and back vertebrae, urgently needs a second surgery as determined by a specialist, thus requiring medical leave. However, judicial officials responded to his medical leave requests by stating he must serve one-third of his prison term. According to the statement from this labor organization, Reza Shahabi has currently served one-third of his five-year sentence and has been in prison for 22 months under harsh physical conditions, suffering from severe neck and back pain. This imprisoned labor activist has submitted two separate letters to the prosecutor's office requesting leave for neck surgery and conditional release, both of which were rejected by a notice from the Tehran prosecutor's office. The Workers' Syndicate of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company stated in its announcement: 'The message we receive as workers and an independent labor syndicate from all this oppression and severe animosity from the agents and other security officials, particularly towards Shahabi, Razavi, and Saidi, is that security officials see great benefit in keeping these workers imprisoned and suppressing independent labor organizations for the ruling power and their supported employers.' The labor organization concluded its statement by calling for the release of imprisoned workers and other civil and labor activists, as well as political and ideological prisoners. Reza Shahabi, Davood Razavi, and Hassan Saidi, along with several other labor and teacher activists, such as Keyvan Mohtadi and Rasoul Badaghi, were arrested following a meeting with two French union activists named Cecile Couler and Jacques Paris in Tehran last year, for whom prison sentences have been issued. These security and judicial actions by the Islamic Republic have drawn widespread criticism both in Iran and globally. Critics emphasize that meetings between union activists from different countries are not a crime, referencing International Labor Organization conventions to which the Islamic Republic is a member. In this context, Ms. Couler and Mr. Paris have also been in prison since last year. The officials of Evin Prison and the prison organization opposed Reza Shahabi's conditional release. Nahid Khodajoo, a labor activist, was arrested and transferred to Evin Prison. Evin officials prevented Davood Razavi from being sent to the hospital 'on the pretext of not wearing prison clothes.' Sharifeh Mohammadi, a imprisoned labor activist, states that she is still under interrogation in Sanandaj prison. Nine teacher union activists from Gilan have been summoned to the Revolutionary Court in Rasht. The campaign defending Osman Ismaili has warned about the 'gradual death project' concerning this imprisoned labor activist.