Update on Persecutions

Behnam Ebrahimzadeh Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

Tehran Revolutionary Court has sentenced Behnam Ebrahimzadeh to five years in prison plus “lashes”. Ebrahimzadeh is a labor activist and member of the Pursuing Committee to Form Labor Organizations. He is also an activist with child labor issues and a standing member of the Society in Defense of Children of Streets and Child Laborers. (“Children of Streets” refers to children living and working in the streets.)

Following months of incarceration, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison by the branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court whose case was subsequently transferred to a parallel court following the objections by his family and lawyer. His court session was held on June 12 and the five year jail term was finally handed to his lawyer, Ms. Mohammadi, on July 3. The ruling is not subject to further appeals.

Shahrokh Zamani Must Be Freed

On June 7, Shahrokh Zamani, construction worker, labor activist, a member of the Pursuing Committee to Form Labor Organizations and the Reinauguration Board of Painters Union was arrested while traveling in a bus from the city of Tabriz to Tehran.
He placed a phone call to his father after 26 days of detention informing him that he had been held in solitary confinement during those days.

Zamani has been on hunger strike since June 16. He is protesting his arrest because no formal charges have been filed and no warrants for his arrest have been produced. He is also protesting his torture and long interrogation hours. His family is extremely concerned about his health conditions.

Mohammad Jarrahi Arrested on June 27

Mohammad Jarrahi, a member of the Pursuing Committee to Form Labor Organizations and a layed off Assalouyeh worker has been arrested on June 27. He had been arrested once before in 2007 and sentenced to 14 months in jail on charges of “propaganda against the Islamic Republic” and “Counter Revolutionary activity”. His sentence was then suspended due to his lawyer’s efforts.

This time, his family have not heard from him since his arrest. He was arrested after being summoned to the 11th branch of Tabriz Revolutionary Court. Jarrahi has been driving cabs to make ends meet.

Source: Iran Labor Report