National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers (RMT): Iran Update: Osanloo alive but jailed

International Transport Workers' Federation: 12 Jul 2007
The ITF is asking you to express your solidarity with Osanloo and the Tehran bus workers.
mansour osanloo ITUC.jpg
Mansour Osanloo, President of the ITF-affiliated Tehran Bus Workers' Union visited the ITF and ITUC in June 2007 to address Road Transport Workers' Section Annual Meeting in London and General Council Meeting in Brussels respectively. This is the first time that a trade union leader from Iran attended the meetings of these organisations.

Farsi:
اسانلو زنده است اما زندانی است؛ کارزار ادامه دارد

11 Jul 2007
Tehran Bus leader Mansour Osanloo is detained

What you can do

1. Sign the petition
To urge President Ahmadjinejad to take every step possible to ensure the safety and immediate release of Mansour Osanloo.
Farsi: طومار را امضا کنید

2. Send a Protest Letter
Click the above link, or use the "TAKE ACTION" link below to send a protest email to President Ahmadjinejad.

3. Spread the Word
Send an email alert to friends and colleagues.

Further Information

View related materials
including protest letters, news, and press releases

Voices of solidarity
Trade union messages of support

View images
Mansour Osanloo's visit to the ITF and ITUC in June 2007

Take Action: Send a Protest Letter

Mansour Osanloo Kidnapped

At 7pm local time on 10th July unidentified assailants kidnapped Mansour Osanloo, President of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, in Tehran.

Osanloo was attacked as he was getting off a bus. His attackers yelled at the other passengers to stay away and called him a 'hoodlum and a thug'. The witnesses on the bus stated that he was beaten severely and his attackers continued to beat him even after they had stuffed him into the metallic grey Peugeot. Given the past history of Osanloo's treatment by the security forces there is strong reason to believe that some part of the Iranian authorities was responsible for this attack, but the local police station, to which his family turned, refused to confirm or deny that the police were involved.

David Cockroft, General Secretary of the ITF, reacted strongly to news of Osanloo's kidnapping, "On behalf of the five million transport workers affiliated to the ITF, we condemn this cowardly act. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Mansour Osanloo. ITF affiliates and the global trade union leaders who met him at the recent ITUC General Council meeting in Brussels, and the International Labour Organisation, will all protest against this blatant violation of human and trade union rights and will take whatever action is necessary to secure the immediate release of Mansour Osanloo".

He continued: "We condemn this cowardly act. We demand an immediate and unconditional release of Mansour Osanloo. We call upon the Global Unions and the wider civil society to raise their voices together to protest against this blatant violation of human and trade union rights."

The ITF and ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation) have acted immediately to protest to the Iranian Government and the ILO against this latest attack on Osanloo.

Related news:

11 July 2007:
World unions launch Osanloo fightback
The international trade union movement moved quickly ...

10 July 2007:
Osanloo kidnapped from Tehran bus
The ITF has received word from our affiliate that Mansour...

Related press:

12 July 2007:
Snatched union leader discovered in jail
After a desperate round of inquiries by family and friends, the...

12 July 2007:
Brief update on abduction of Mansour Osanloo
Ref abduction yesterday of Iranian trade unionist Mansour...

11 July 2007:
Trade unions fight to protect kidnapped Iranian
The international trade union movement has mobilised to free...

Related pages:

Tehran Bus Dispute
Information and a chronology of events regarding the Tehran Bus Dispute - January 2006

Iran Update: Osanloo alive but jailed – campaign continues

Mansour Osanloo Kidnapped