Workers' Syndicate of the Unit Company: Hassan Saidi Exiled to Ward 8 of Evin Prison

The Workers' Syndicate of the Unit Bus Company of Tehran and Suburbs announced that after Hassan Saidi, a imprisoned member of this labor organization, was deprived of phone contact and personal visits without prior notice from noon on Saturday, December 23, in the latest punitive action, he was transferred to Ward 8 of Evin Prison on Tuesday, December 26. According to this labor syndicate, Ward 8 of Evin Prison is known as the 'exile ward' of this prison, and its building was previously part of the prison's administrative section before the February 1979 revolution. Hassan Saidi, who was serving his sentence in Ward 4 of Evin Prison, has faced medical issues and inadequate medical care. The Workers' Syndicate of the Unit Bus Company of Tehran and Suburbs, citing informed sources, wrote that pressure on prisoners in Ward 4 of Evin Prison has increased, and some other prisoners in this ward have also been deprived of phone contact, with all personal visits canceled. According to this report, it is believed that the reason for these actions is the prisoners' protests against the interference of interrogators in their cases and the unreasonable pressures imposed by them. The syndicate, while protesting the continued harassment of its imprisoned members such as Hassan Saidi, as well as Davood Razavi and Reza Shahabi, board members of this organization, called for an end to these 'inhumane acts' and the release of imprisoned workers and other labor, teacher, student, and civil activists. Mr. Saidi was arrested by government forces at his home on May 17, 2022, and transferred to Evin Prison. He was sentenced in the Revolutionary Court to a total of 6 years of imprisonment for the charges of 'propaganda against the regime and conspiracy to commit a crime against national security,' along with supplementary punishments including a ban on leaving the country, prohibition of membership in parties and activities on social networks, and a ban on residing in Tehran and neighboring provinces for 2 years. Hassan Saidi, along with Reza Shahabi and Keyvan Mohtadi, a translator and labor activist, were summoned to the Evin Prosecutor's Office on May 28 this year following the opening of a new case, but they refused to attend this session due to being forced to wear prison clothes and use handcuffs during transfer. The security and judicial actions against workers and labor activists have led to widespread criticism from labor unions and syndicates around the world. Reza Shahabi, a imprisoned labor activist, was transferred to the hospital due to illness. After Narges Mohammadi's opposition to wearing a hijab, Reza Shahabi also refused to wear his prison clothes. Evin officials prevented the transfer of Davood Razavi, a imprisoned labor activist, to the hospital. The prevention of treatment for Ismail Abdi and Reza Shahabi was decided by the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic. The Tehran Bus Syndicate reported that security officials are preventing Reza Shahabi's surgery.