Posted on November 30, 2018
Sugar Cane Workers and their detained representatives need international support
Surely you’re aware of the struggles of over 6000 sugar cane workers of Haft Tapeh in Khuzestan province in south Iran that started on 5th November 2018 and has been going on since. The striking workers have been holding assemblies in front of the governor’s office of the city of Shush and protesting in the city.On November 18th, armed forces of the Intelligence Services arrested 18 workers – members of the Workers’ Council of Haft Tapeh – and Sepideh Gholiyan, a 23- year old university student and citizen journalist who was there to report.
After pressure from the workers and their families and members of the public, the authorities were forced to free most of the workers but they kept Esmail Bakhshi and Sepideh Gholiyan in custody.
Esmail Bakhshi has been a key figure in uniting, organising and leading the workers and the strike. He and Sepideh Gholiyan are denied any visits.
On 29th November 2018, Esmail Bakhshi was admitted to hospital for life-threatening injuries as a result of brutal torture – stomach bleeding and bruises all over his body. He has been tortured to accept fabricated accusations by the authorities, who try to frame him with a bogus “national security” charge, to which he has refused to yield. Under torture, Bakhshi has been insisting on the legitimate demands of the workers. This worthy workers’ leader deserves undivided international support.
Esmail Bakhshi has been subjected to torture for his role in the magnificent strike and protest by the sugar cane workers of Haft Tapeh that has inspired the workers’ movement in Iran and mobilised the society in support of the struggling workers. The Islamic Republic of Iran hopes to terrorise and to push back the workers and the activists who go on strike and demand their rights in Iran.
On 29th November 2018, the armed forces of the Intelligence Services also raided the home of Ali Nejati, a member of Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Workers’ Syndicate, brutally beat him up in front of his family and took him away, along with his son, Peyman Nejati. The arrests happened while the striking workers of Haft Tapeh and people of the city were on the streets, demanding the release of the jailed workers.
The workers of Haft Tapeh have not been paid for four months and struggle to make ends meet with unpaid wages, which are far below the poverty line. The workers are calling for an end to the involvement of contractors and the private sector, and demand that the company be run under the supervision of the workers’ council. One of their demands is the recognition of their workers’ council.
Free Them Now – Campaign to Free Jailed Workers in Iran calls for urgent action for the release of the detained workers. We ask all workers’ federations and unions, and international human rights organisations to urgently put all the pressure they can on the Islamic Republic of Iran to free Esmail Bakhshi, Sepideh Gholiyan, Ali Nejati, and Peyman Nejati, and to stop the torture and abuse.
Workers of Haft Tapeh continue to stand strongly and united with their strike and protests. We call on international workers’ organisations to come to their aid and support them in their justified struggle to free the detainees and for their legitimate demands.
We call on all to urgently join the ongoing campaign to free the arrested workers.
Free Them Now! Campaign to Free jailed workers in Iran