Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
People's protest in Aryashahr!
Today at 7pm in Aryashahr, people protested against the arrest of a young girl by the Islamic regime of Iran's forces.
To see a clip of the protests, click here.
To see a clip of the protests, click here.
Sentences of lashing for workers participating in May 1st actions in Iran
From: The National Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers of Iran
To: International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
18 Feb 2008
Dear Friends,
As you are aware the police and security forces assaulted last year’s peaceful May 1st rally in the city of Sanandaj, battered workers, and arrested 13 of them. Among them were Mr. Shays Amaani and Mr. Seddigh Karimi, President and Executive Committee member of our union, respectively. They were released on a $50,000 bail each after 42 days in detention. The court sentenced them to two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment. We appealed, but the Court of Appeal has not yet given its verdict.
Mr. Khaaled Savaari, Vice President of the union, was also among the detainees, the majority of whom were members of our union. This group were released after 9 to 12 days in detention, and the Lower Court sentenced each to 91 days’ imprisonment and 10 lashes. Our union strongly protested against this verdict, and did so too in writing. It addressed its objection to, among others, the Judiciary and Members of the Islamic Majles (National Assembly), asking for the verdict to be overturned by the Court of Appeal. The Provincial Appeal Court of Kurdistan, however, on 8 Dec 2007 returned a verdict in which the prison sentences of our friends were changed into fines, but the lashing had been upheld. This verdict has been referred now to another court in charge of execution of the sentences.
On 14 Feb 2008 the latter court issued an unofficial summons ordering Mr. Seddigh Amjadi, one of the 11 convicted workers, to appear before it on 16 Feb, with which he complied. The court both forced his family to pay the fine and executed the 10 lashes on him on the spot.*
It goes without saying that in today’s world lashing workers for participating in May 1st actions is an utmost inhuman attempt to annihilate the achievements of the world working class; achievements for which millions of workers from across the world have gravely suffered and even paid with their lives. Issuing and executing the mediaeval verdict of lashing in the case of the workers in Iran should sound the alarm for the world working class as a whole, and we expect you, dear friends, as well as all workers of the world, to respond to it with all possible might.
It should be noted that all this is transpiring against the background of Islamic Republic’s continuing to hold Mr. Mansoor Osanloo, despite his recent eye surgery, and Mr. Mahmood Salehi, despite his grave ailment and frequent passing-outs in prison, thus violating all international standards both within the framework of the ILO, of which the Islamic Republic is a member, and outside it. Iranian authorities, who have so far totally ignored all requests by international human rights and labour organizations in regards to their conditions as well as their innocence, now hand down and execute sentences of lashing in regards to other workers for taking part in the International Workers’ Day rallies!
While we are truly grateful for what you have done so far for the Iranian workers, we also expect you, dear friends in the International Trade Union Confederation, to vehemently protest against the execution of the lashing sentence in the case of Mr. Seddigh Amjadi. We request that you urgently act to demand the ILO and all concerned bodies that the mediaeval verdict of lashing, as well as fine, in the case of Sanandaj workers for participating in May 1st rallies must be overturned immediately. Please register this letter with the ILO as our official complaint, and demand the banning of self-appointed labour representatives of Iran from that organization.
Respectfully,
National Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers of Iran
E-mail
[Translated by the International Labour Solidarity Committee of the Worker-communist Party of Iran]
* Two other workers - Fares Gaviliaan and Habibollah Kalekaani - were flogged on 19 February – Translator’s note
To: International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
18 Feb 2008
Dear Friends,
As you are aware the police and security forces assaulted last year’s peaceful May 1st rally in the city of Sanandaj, battered workers, and arrested 13 of them. Among them were Mr. Shays Amaani and Mr. Seddigh Karimi, President and Executive Committee member of our union, respectively. They were released on a $50,000 bail each after 42 days in detention. The court sentenced them to two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment. We appealed, but the Court of Appeal has not yet given its verdict.
Mr. Khaaled Savaari, Vice President of the union, was also among the detainees, the majority of whom were members of our union. This group were released after 9 to 12 days in detention, and the Lower Court sentenced each to 91 days’ imprisonment and 10 lashes. Our union strongly protested against this verdict, and did so too in writing. It addressed its objection to, among others, the Judiciary and Members of the Islamic Majles (National Assembly), asking for the verdict to be overturned by the Court of Appeal. The Provincial Appeal Court of Kurdistan, however, on 8 Dec 2007 returned a verdict in which the prison sentences of our friends were changed into fines, but the lashing had been upheld. This verdict has been referred now to another court in charge of execution of the sentences.
On 14 Feb 2008 the latter court issued an unofficial summons ordering Mr. Seddigh Amjadi, one of the 11 convicted workers, to appear before it on 16 Feb, with which he complied. The court both forced his family to pay the fine and executed the 10 lashes on him on the spot.*
It goes without saying that in today’s world lashing workers for participating in May 1st actions is an utmost inhuman attempt to annihilate the achievements of the world working class; achievements for which millions of workers from across the world have gravely suffered and even paid with their lives. Issuing and executing the mediaeval verdict of lashing in the case of the workers in Iran should sound the alarm for the world working class as a whole, and we expect you, dear friends, as well as all workers of the world, to respond to it with all possible might.
It should be noted that all this is transpiring against the background of Islamic Republic’s continuing to hold Mr. Mansoor Osanloo, despite his recent eye surgery, and Mr. Mahmood Salehi, despite his grave ailment and frequent passing-outs in prison, thus violating all international standards both within the framework of the ILO, of which the Islamic Republic is a member, and outside it. Iranian authorities, who have so far totally ignored all requests by international human rights and labour organizations in regards to their conditions as well as their innocence, now hand down and execute sentences of lashing in regards to other workers for taking part in the International Workers’ Day rallies!
While we are truly grateful for what you have done so far for the Iranian workers, we also expect you, dear friends in the International Trade Union Confederation, to vehemently protest against the execution of the lashing sentence in the case of Mr. Seddigh Amjadi. We request that you urgently act to demand the ILO and all concerned bodies that the mediaeval verdict of lashing, as well as fine, in the case of Sanandaj workers for participating in May 1st rallies must be overturned immediately. Please register this letter with the ILO as our official complaint, and demand the banning of self-appointed labour representatives of Iran from that organization.
Respectfully,
National Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers of Iran
[Translated by the International Labour Solidarity Committee of the Worker-communist Party of Iran]
* Two other workers - Fares Gaviliaan and Habibollah Kalekaani - were flogged on 19 February – Translator’s note
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Two more workers whipped in Iran
Union complains to the ILO
WPI’s International Labour Solidarity Committee
21 Feb 2008
A further two workers, who were arrested at last year’s May Day ceremonies in the city of Sanandaj, have been fined and whipped, according to a report by the National Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers in Iran (Ettehadiye e Sarasari e Kargaran e Ekhraji va Bikaar).
Fares Gavilian and Habibollah Kalekani were detained and whipped on Tuesday when they attended the Court of Administration of Sentences in Sanandaj, following a summons.
Last Saturday, Seddigh Amjadi was beaten with ten strikes of the lash when he attended the court.
The sentences of lashes and fines come in a ruling by the Appeals Court of the Kurdistan Province against 11 worker activists arrested in last year’s May Day in Sanandaj. The workers are:
1- Seddigh Amjadi
2- Abbas Andaryani
3- Tayyeb Chatani
4- Fares Gavilian
5- Habibollah Kalekani
6- Eghbal Latifiollah
7- Tayyeb Mollaee
8- Yadollah Moradi
9- Mahiyoddin Rajabi
10- Khaled Savari
11- Seddigh Sobhani
In a letter to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the National Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers requested the ITUC to lodge a formal complaint with the ILO. It said:
“Whipping workers for taking part in May Day ceremonies is a most inhuman action aimed at destroying the gains of the world working class, for which millions of workers around the world have given up their lives and endured much hardship. The issuing and carrying out of the medieval sentence of whipping for workers in Iran is a warning to the world working class, and we expect that you dear friends and workers of the world will strongly and firmly react to it”.
In a statement yesterday, the union said the remaining sentenced workers had decided not to heed the summons for appearance at the Court of Administration, and will instead, together with their families, assemble outside the Court should they be threatened with detention by the security forces. It called on its members to join the families of the sentenced workers in protests.
ACTION REQUESTED:
Please publicise, as widely as possible, the news of this outrageous brutality by the Islamic government in Iran, condemning it in the strongest possible terms. Letters of protest may be sent to any or all of the following offices of the Islamic Republic government. Please forward a copy to International Labour Solidarity Committee of the Worker-communist Party of Iran (ILSC-WPI)
Supreme Leader:
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street
Shahid Keshvar Doust Street Tehran, Iran
Email
The President:
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad The Presidency
Palestine Avenue,
Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, Iran
Email
The Head of the Judiciary:
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi Office of the Head of the Judiciary Pasteur St.,Vali Asr Ave., South of Serah-e Jomhouri, Tehran, Iran
Email
WPI’s International Labour Solidarity Committee
21 Feb 2008
A further two workers, who were arrested at last year’s May Day ceremonies in the city of Sanandaj, have been fined and whipped, according to a report by the National Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers in Iran (Ettehadiye e Sarasari e Kargaran e Ekhraji va Bikaar).
Fares Gavilian and Habibollah Kalekani were detained and whipped on Tuesday when they attended the Court of Administration of Sentences in Sanandaj, following a summons.
Last Saturday, Seddigh Amjadi was beaten with ten strikes of the lash when he attended the court.
The sentences of lashes and fines come in a ruling by the Appeals Court of the Kurdistan Province against 11 worker activists arrested in last year’s May Day in Sanandaj. The workers are:
1- Seddigh Amjadi
2- Abbas Andaryani
3- Tayyeb Chatani
4- Fares Gavilian
5- Habibollah Kalekani
6- Eghbal Latifiollah
7- Tayyeb Mollaee
8- Yadollah Moradi
9- Mahiyoddin Rajabi
10- Khaled Savari
11- Seddigh Sobhani
In a letter to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the National Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers requested the ITUC to lodge a formal complaint with the ILO. It said:
“Whipping workers for taking part in May Day ceremonies is a most inhuman action aimed at destroying the gains of the world working class, for which millions of workers around the world have given up their lives and endured much hardship. The issuing and carrying out of the medieval sentence of whipping for workers in Iran is a warning to the world working class, and we expect that you dear friends and workers of the world will strongly and firmly react to it”.
In a statement yesterday, the union said the remaining sentenced workers had decided not to heed the summons for appearance at the Court of Administration, and will instead, together with their families, assemble outside the Court should they be threatened with detention by the security forces. It called on its members to join the families of the sentenced workers in protests.
ACTION REQUESTED:
Please publicise, as widely as possible, the news of this outrageous brutality by the Islamic government in Iran, condemning it in the strongest possible terms. Letters of protest may be sent to any or all of the following offices of the Islamic Republic government. Please forward a copy to International Labour Solidarity Committee of the Worker-communist Party of Iran (ILSC-WPI)
Supreme Leader:
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street
Shahid Keshvar Doust Street Tehran, Iran
The President:
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad The Presidency
Palestine Avenue,
Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, Iran
The Head of the Judiciary:
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi Office of the Head of the Judiciary Pasteur St.,Vali Asr Ave., South of Serah-e Jomhouri, Tehran, Iran
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Free Abdul Kareem Nabil Now
Join a demonstration in defence of Egyptian blogger, Abdul Kareem Nabil, who was sentenced 1 year ago for 4 years for insulting Islam and the president.
Friday, 22nd of February, 2pm-4pm
Egyptian Embassy,
26 South Street,
Mayfair W1K 1DW
Nabil was a Law student at Al-Azhar University. He started writing on blogs promoting secularism, women's and minority rights, and also criticising the Al-Azhar University as a university of terrorism that stifled free thought. This eventually resulted in him being expelled from the University. Not content with that, the University authorities pursued him for prosecution, which they won.
Since his imprisonment, he has spent time in solitary confinement, as well as deliberately put in cells with Muslim Brotherhood and violent prisoners, beaten, humiliated, and consistently persecuted to abandon his secular beliefs and accept Islam again. His family have disowned him, with his father saying he will happily see his apostate son be killed.
The London division of the worldwide campaign is organised by a pair of London School of Economics students. We are looking forward to receiving all the support people can offer to this campaign.
For more information visit Free Kareem website.
Friday, 22nd of February, 2pm-4pm
Egyptian Embassy,
26 South Street,
Mayfair W1K 1DW
Nabil was a Law student at Al-Azhar University. He started writing on blogs promoting secularism, women's and minority rights, and also criticising the Al-Azhar University as a university of terrorism that stifled free thought. This eventually resulted in him being expelled from the University. Not content with that, the University authorities pursued him for prosecution, which they won.
Since his imprisonment, he has spent time in solitary confinement, as well as deliberately put in cells with Muslim Brotherhood and violent prisoners, beaten, humiliated, and consistently persecuted to abandon his secular beliefs and accept Islam again. His family have disowned him, with his father saying he will happily see his apostate son be killed.
The London division of the worldwide campaign is organised by a pair of London School of Economics students. We are looking forward to receiving all the support people can offer to this campaign.
For more information visit Free Kareem website.
Humanist thought of the day
Listen to Maryam's humanist thought of the day, by going to the Humanist Society of Scotland's thought of the day site.
Monday, February 18, 2008
May Day activist fined and whipped in Iran
10 others await a similar fate
18 Feb 2008
Seddigh Amjadi, one of the workers detained at last year’s May Day ceremonies in the city of Sanandaj, has been fined and whipped, according to a report by the National Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers in Iran (Ettehadiye e Sarasari e Kargaran e Ekhraji va Bikaar).
On Saturday 16 February, while reporting to Branch 2 of the Court of Administration of Sentences, Seddigh Amjadi was detained on the order of the judge and given 10 strikes of the lash on the spot. His wife was ordered to pay 65,000 Tomans in fine.
In a statement, Worker-communist Party of Iran strongly condemned this barbaric act and called on people in Iran and around the world to protest in the strongest possible terms against this medieval savagery.
Amjadi has already spent 9 days in prison following his arrest last year.
The sentence against Amjadi came in a ruling by the Appeals Court of the Kurdistan Province against 11 worker activists arrested in last year’s May Day in the city of Sanandaj. All but one of the workers were sentenced to fines and lashes. Abbas Andaryani was ordered to pay fines. The 11 workers are:
1- Seddigh Amjadi (fine and lashes)
2- Abbas Andaryani (fine)
3- Tayyeb Chatani (fine and lashes)
4- Fares Gavilian (fine and lashes)
5- Habibollah Kale Kani (fine and lashes)
6- Eghbal Latifiollah (fine and lashes)
7- Tayyeb Mollaee (fine and lashes)
8- Yadollah Moradi (fine and lashes)
9- Mahiyoddin Rajabi (fine and lashes)
10- Khaled Savari (fine and lashes)
11- Seddigh Sobhani (fine and lashes)
Following the brutal whipping of Amjadi, it is feared that the sentences against the other workers may be carried out any time soon.
To condemn the sentences and stop this outrage, please send your letters of protest to the Islamic Republic government in Iran:
Supreme Leader:
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street
Shahid Keshvar Doust Street Tehran, Iran
Email
The President:
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad The Presidency
Palestine Avenue
Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, Iran
Email
The Head of the Judiciary:
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi Office of the Head of the Judiciary Pasteur St.,Vali Asr Ave., South of Serah-e Jomhouri, Tehran, Iran
Email
Please send a copy to WPI’s International Labour Solidarity Committee for info.
International Labour Solidarity Committee of the Worker-communist Party of Iran (ILSC-WPI)
Head office:
Co-ordinator: Shahla Daneshfar
Public Relations: Bahram Soroush
18 Feb 2008
Seddigh Amjadi, one of the workers detained at last year’s May Day ceremonies in the city of Sanandaj, has been fined and whipped, according to a report by the National Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers in Iran (Ettehadiye e Sarasari e Kargaran e Ekhraji va Bikaar).
On Saturday 16 February, while reporting to Branch 2 of the Court of Administration of Sentences, Seddigh Amjadi was detained on the order of the judge and given 10 strikes of the lash on the spot. His wife was ordered to pay 65,000 Tomans in fine.
In a statement, Worker-communist Party of Iran strongly condemned this barbaric act and called on people in Iran and around the world to protest in the strongest possible terms against this medieval savagery.
Amjadi has already spent 9 days in prison following his arrest last year.
The sentence against Amjadi came in a ruling by the Appeals Court of the Kurdistan Province against 11 worker activists arrested in last year’s May Day in the city of Sanandaj. All but one of the workers were sentenced to fines and lashes. Abbas Andaryani was ordered to pay fines. The 11 workers are:
1- Seddigh Amjadi (fine and lashes)
2- Abbas Andaryani (fine)
3- Tayyeb Chatani (fine and lashes)
4- Fares Gavilian (fine and lashes)
5- Habibollah Kale Kani (fine and lashes)
6- Eghbal Latifiollah (fine and lashes)
7- Tayyeb Mollaee (fine and lashes)
8- Yadollah Moradi (fine and lashes)
9- Mahiyoddin Rajabi (fine and lashes)
10- Khaled Savari (fine and lashes)
11- Seddigh Sobhani (fine and lashes)
Following the brutal whipping of Amjadi, it is feared that the sentences against the other workers may be carried out any time soon.
To condemn the sentences and stop this outrage, please send your letters of protest to the Islamic Republic government in Iran:
Supreme Leader:
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street
Shahid Keshvar Doust Street Tehran, Iran
The President:
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad The Presidency
Palestine Avenue
Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, Iran
The Head of the Judiciary:
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi Office of the Head of the Judiciary Pasteur St.,Vali Asr Ave., South of Serah-e Jomhouri, Tehran, Iran
Please send a copy to WPI’s International Labour Solidarity Committee for info.
International Labour Solidarity Committee of the Worker-communist Party of Iran (ILSC-WPI)
Head office:
Co-ordinator: Shahla Daneshfar
Public Relations: Bahram Soroush
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Join solidarity night with the jailed students in Iran
YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US
On the solidarity night with the jailed students in Iran
Saturday 16th February from 6:00 PM
Westonrise Community Centre
187 Pentonville Road, N1 9NZ
Nearest tube stations: King's Cross and Angel
The programme is organised by the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners in Iran and includes speeches, slide shows, photo exhibition and music
Speakers:
- Shahla Daneshfar: Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners in Iran
- A speaker from National Union of Students (NUS)
- Bahram Soroush: Worker-communist Party of Iran
- Fariborz Pooya: Iranian Secular Society-UK
Admission: £2 Food and beverage are available for purchase.
For more information please contact: Shiva Mahbobi: 07984445278
Jalil Jalili: 07950 924 434
On the solidarity night with the jailed students in Iran
Saturday 16th February from 6:00 PM
Westonrise Community Centre
187 Pentonville Road, N1 9NZ
Nearest tube stations: King's Cross and Angel
The programme is organised by the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners in Iran and includes speeches, slide shows, photo exhibition and music
Speakers:
- Shahla Daneshfar: Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners in Iran
- A speaker from National Union of Students (NUS)
- Bahram Soroush: Worker-communist Party of Iran
- Fariborz Pooya: Iranian Secular Society-UK
Admission: £2 Food and beverage are available for purchase.
For more information please contact: Shiva Mahbobi: 07984445278
Jalil Jalili: 07950 924 434
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Sharia law, Secularism, and the future of civil society
Maryam Namazie will be speaking on Sharia law, Secularism, and the future of civil society at Oxford University Secular Society, Saskatchewan Room in Exeter College (on Turl Street), February 15, 2008, Oxford.
She will discuss the recent comments made by the Archbishop of Canterbury and its challenge to secularism, universal rights and civil society at 7:30pm.
She will discuss the recent comments made by the Archbishop of Canterbury and its challenge to secularism, universal rights and civil society at 7:30pm.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
On the Archbishop, Sharia Law and Universal rights
To see a discussion on Secular Society TV presented by Fariborz Pooya with Maryam Namazie, Bahram Soroush and Hamid Taqvaee on the Archbishop of Canterbury's comments on Sharia law in Britain and universal rights, click here.
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