IRAN
On 9 April 2007, Iranian security forces detained Mahmoud Salehi, under the pretext that he must liaise with prosecutors over arrangements for a May Day demonstration. Salehi, the former President of the Bakery Workers’ Association of the City of Saqez and a well-known labour activist in Iran, was told that he had been sentenced to one year imprisonment and a three year suspended prison sentence for organising for May Day 2004. After objecting to the illegal manner of his detention, Salehi was taken immediately to the Sanandaj Central Prison, not even allowed to contact his family, lawyer or colleagues.
Mahmoud Salehi along with Jalal Hosseini, Mohsen Hakimi, Borhan Divargar, Muhammad Abdipoor, Esmail Khodkam and Hadi Tanomand amongst others were arrested on 1 May 2004 at a rally in commemoration of the International Workers’ Day in the City of Saqez, Kurdistan Province. Known as the Saqez Seven, they went on hunger strike until they were released on heavy bail on May 12, 2004. While three have since been acquitted, the remaining four continued to face trials. Salehi had previously been sentenced to 4 years imprisonment, while Hosseini, Hakimi and Divargar were each sentenced to two years.
For updates and solidarity, visit www.labourstart.org
CHINA
The IHLO, international voice of the Hong Kong labour movement, has begun a campaign against the Chinese regime’s false claim to be improving human rights in the run up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. While the International Olympic Committee and Chinese government bureaucrats have promoted the Olympic Games as a means of developing human rights in China — as if such an excuse were necessary — the IHLO points to the recurring clampdown on all forms of independent trade union organisation and free expression, along with the use of forced labour. Dozens of labour movement activists have been put behind bars. As the IHLO website points out, many militants have stayed in prison ever since the bloody crushing of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests – others will still be there at the time of London’s 2012 Olympics. Letters and postcards to the Chinese regime addressing themes of government repression in China can be found at www.ihlo.org/prisoners/en
ETHIOPIA
The release in March of three elected officers of the Ethiopian Teachers Association (ETA) has been short-lived — after their initial three-month period of detention and torture, two have been re-arrested alongside a third colleague. Meqcha Mengistu, Anteneh Getnet and Woldie Dana are currently being detained, accused by the government of being members of the Ethiopian People’s Patriotic Front, a group aiming to overthrow the government.
The Ethiopian authorities’ repression of the ETA has been documented for years. Teachers are discouraged from joining, and there have been repeated attempts to shut ETA down, including the establishment of a second education union. Education International is re-launching an urgent appeal for action for the release of the detainees.
• Write to the Ethiopian embassy in your country
• Contact the Ethiopian Teachers’ Association to express your solidarity;
• Give visibility to the situation of teachers in Ethiopia in your magazine or website;
• Approach your embassy representatives in Ethiopia;
For more details visit Education International
