Request to support two worker activists in Iran: Jafar Azeemzadeh and Mahmoud Salehi

Worker activists and freedom loving people around the world,

Dear friends and comrades,

Workers in Iran consider themselves a part of the international working class and we are striving to strengthen the working class solidarity. We are also appreciative of the International support we have received so far.  At the time of writing this letter, several worker activists are imprisoned. These workers need a world wide support. Among them,  two labour leader’s cases are more urgent: Jafar Azeemzadeh and Mahmoud Salehi.

1-Jafar Azeemzadeh

Jafar is as welder worker. He is the president of the Free Union of Iranian Workers. Due to his attempts
to  build workers organizations and promotion of worker’s rights, he has been sentenced to six years of imprisonment. He is currently serving his term in the notorious prison of Evin in Teheran.

The so called “court” has listed the charges of Jafar as follow: “act against national security, disturbing public order, propaganda against the system of  the Islamic Republic,  founding the Free Union of Iranian Workers and the National Union of Laid off and Unemployed Workers, membership in The Committee to Follow up with Formation of Workers’ Organizations,  launching  a campaign to collect forty thousand signatures, organizing a protest in front of the Ministry of Labour and demanding increased wage for workers; complain against the officials of the Ministry of Social Services , interaction with workers’ organizations, organizing and participating in May Day Rallies, participating in protests in front of the Ministry of Labour and the Parliament.

Jafar Azeemzadeh is well known labour activists in Iran. He has been arrested and imprisoned many times in Iran.

2-Mahmoud Salehi

Mahmoud Salehi is a Bakery worker. He is a member of the Syndicate of Bakery Workers in the city of Saqez and a member of the Committee to Cooperate for  Building Workers Organizations.  The Iranian police rushed into his house on 28 of April 2015 and looted his personal belongings such as computer and phone  and took him to the Ministry of Information’s office in Sanandj.  After several hours of interrogation, while blindfolded, earplugged  and handcuffed,   he was  transported to a prison run by the same  Ministry in Sanandaj.

Due to public protest, after 28 days Mahmoud Salehi was transported to the Towhid Hospital while he was in coma, to treat his kidney. Since he has lost both of his kidneys, he was released on Bail. In  8 and 20thof August  2015, he was trialed on the following chargers:

“membership in  the Komalah Organization, propaganda against the Iranian political system, act against national security, disturbing the public order, membership in the Committee to Follow up to Form Workers’ Organizations, encouraging workers to go on strike, participation in May Day  gatherings , participation in demonstration in front of governmental institutions, planning for demonstrations, attempting to help building workers’ organizations, and participating in seminars abroad.

On September 16, 2015 he was again summoned by the court and was sentenced to 9 years prison. He was not even allowed to get  a copy of  the court’s verdict. Despite the fact that he lost both of his kidneys and that he has to receive dialysis treatment  twice a week , Mahmoud Salehi is waiting to serve nine years of jail.  It's worth stating that so far Mahmoud Salehi has been imprisoned more than four times.  His is in need of more international support than any time before.

We, the members of the Committee to Support Sharoukh Zamani, would appreciate your support and reiterate that in addition to the above two workers  activists, a number of workers and teachers are currently imprisoned by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Among them are : Mohammad Jarahi, Saeed Sheerzad, Behnam EbrahimZadeh, Mehdi  Shandiz, Esmaeil  Abdi, Rasoul Bodaghi, Aliakbar Baghbani, Abdoulreza Qanbari and … all of whom need support.

Long live international solidarity of working class!

Imprisoned workers and teachers must be free!

The solutionfor working class is unity and organization!

The committee to support Shahroukh Zamani