According to reports received from Iran five workers from the Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Company have been summoned to appear in court in Dezful city. They are Fereydoon Nikoofard, Ali Nejati, Jalil Ahmadi, Mohammad Heydari Mehr and Ramezan Alipoor. They have until 20 May to appear before the court.
These activists are charged with a range of 'crimes' relating to the workers' strike and other struggles at the Haft Tapeh mill and later in Shush city in September and October 2007. That strike was sparked by the state-owned company not paying workers their wages for over several months. At present the workers have not been paid for two months.
We call on all trade unionists, labour activists, human rights activists and socialists to support the struggles of the Haft Tapeh workers by emailing a protest (see model letter) to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
5 May 2008
Iranian Workers' Solidarity Network
BM IWSN London WC1N 3XX
iranwsn@fastmail.fm