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Iranian labor activist Mahmoud Salehi was arrested April 9 by government security forces in the city of Saqez, in the province of Kurdistan. Salehi, a former president of the Bakery Workers’ Association of the City of Saqez, had been summoned by police to the office of the provincial prosecutor, under the pretense that the governor and prosecutor wanted to discuss with Salehi his role in organizing upcoming May Day festivities. Yet upon arrival Salehi was apprehended and informed that he had been sentenced to one year in prison, along with a three-year suspended sentence, for his involvement in May Day celebrations in Saqez in 2004.

Salehi is one of the seven labor activists (known as the “Saqez Seven”) who were arrested at a May Day rally in 2004. After going on a hunger strike, the Saqez Seven were released from jail May 12 2004, yet four members of the group still face multiple charges today.

Salehi was originally sentenced to four years in prison, a verdict he appealed in the Kurdistan Province Court of Appeal. The appeals court arrived at its final decision without giving Salehi the opportunity to argue his case at official hearings (to which he is entitled by law). Now Salehi is confined in Sanandaj Central Prison. He has been denied contact with his family and lawyer, and has no access to medication he needs to treat his potentially life threatening kidney ailment.

Salehi has been joined in prison by several members of the National Union of Unemployed and Expelled Workers, who were arrested at this year’s May Day celebrations (which were banned by the Iranian government). In addition to making arrests, police beat scores of peaceful May Day demonstrators.

To protest Salehi’s arrest and imprisonment and the abuse of labor activists in Iran, send a letter to one of the following email addresses:

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. To see a sample letter, visit www.labourtstart.org, and click on the ‘Iran’ link under the ‘Act Now!’ heading on the left side of the page.

Expiration Date:
Sat, 06/30/2007 - 10:59pm