Iran's Revolutionary Court in Tehran, on Saturday, sentenced seven laborers and activists 110 years imprisonment and 74 lashes for organizing and covering protests and strikes by workers at the Haft Tapeh sugar cane company, north of city of Ahwaz. 

The following are the names of the convicts and the details of the verdicts given by Judge Meqaisa, President of Section 4 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran:

  1. Ismael Bakhshi, laborer and trade unionist of the Sugar Cane Company, 14 years imprisonment
  2. Speida Golian, labor rights activist, 19 years and six months in prison
  3. Amir Hossein Mohammadi Fard, editor-in-chief of "Gam" magazine and labor rights defender, 18 years in prison
  4. Asal Mohammadi, member of the editorial board of the magazine "Gam" and an advocate for the rights of workers, 18 years imprisonment
  5. Sanaz Al-Hayari, editorial board member of the magazine "Gam " and an advocate for workers' rights, 18 years imprisonment
  6. Amir Amergoli, member of the editorial board of the magazine "Gam" and a defender of workers' rights, 18 years imprisonment
  7. Mohammed Khneifer, worker and trade union activist at Sugar Cane Company, 6 years imprisonment

 The verdicts were given based on vague and flimsy charges such as “assembly and collusion with the intention of acting against national security,” “insulting the Supreme Leader,” “spreading lies,” “propaganda against the regime” and "disturbing public order.” Workers have been going on strikes and peaceful protests over the past year for not receiving their salaries for several months, poor working conditions, dismissal of workers and other trade union demands.

Ahwaz Human Rights Organisation (AHRO) strongly condemns these repressive provisions and calls for the abolition of these sham trials and the immediate and unconditional release of all detained workers and activists.

Ahwaz Human Rights Organisation (AHRO)

10 Sep 2019