Worker-activist Afshin Osanlou fell victim to the criminal regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Condemn the regime of Iran for this hideous crime!
Dear Comrades,
The regime of the Islamic Republic committed another crime. Afshin Osanlou, trade unionist and political prisoner in the notorious Rajaei Shahr prison fell victim to the regime of Iran in June 2013. The capitalist regime of the Islamic Republic announced his death on June 22, 2013, claiming it was due to heart attack. The family members of Afshin and his prison-mates have said that Afshin had no history of heart problem and the nurses at the hospital have announced that he had died long before the security forced of the Islamic Republic brought him to the hospital. What is clear is that Afshin has lost his life in bloody claws of the Islamic Republic. The regime of Iran is directly responsible for the death of Afshin Osanlou.
Adshin Osanlou, 42-year old, fired bus driver of Tehran Vahed Bus Transit Company, inter-city bus driver, truck driver, and a member of the founding committee of the Truck Drivers Syndicate was arrested in 2009 by the security-intelligence forces of the Islamic Republic in Tehran because of his trade union activities , and was taken to Evin prison. In the prison, Afshin goes under severe physical and mental torture and was falsely charged with conspiracy and action against “national security”. The regime of Iran sentenced him to 5 years prison term. Afshin was transferred to Rajaei Shahr prison after 3 years and was finishing his term.
Dear Comrades,
Tens of worker-activists are arrested, tortured, and imprisoned in the dungeons of the regime of the Islamic Republic. Their guilt is to attempt the formation of independent worker-organizations, to defend the workers’ rights, to fight for better wages and job security and collective bargaining and health insurance and … Their guilt is to stand to the capitalist regime of the Islamic Republic and not to bend to the pressures and threats of a regime that its authorities’ involvement in multi-milliard dollars embezzlements are known by the people on the streets.
But the regime’s response to the just demands of the workers and their representatives is detention, imprisonment, torture, and charges with conspiracy and action against the “national security”. Most recently, several activists and political prisoners have lost their live under barbaric and medieval torture. Sattar Beheshti, a worker and webloger, was killed under torture less than two weeks after his arrest. Alireza Karami lost his life in the death claws of the Islamic Republic. Beside mistreatment, torture, and physical and mental pressures, the regime of the Islamic Republic has restricted the access to medical treatment for the political prisoner. By “lack of medical attention”, the regime wants to impose on activists “normal” death due to health problems and organ failure.
The regime of the Islamic Republic takes the families of the political prisoners hostage and puts them under pressure and threats with the hope of breaking the resistance of the activists. Taking revenge on the families of the prisoners has been a sick policy of the Islamic Republic. The family of the fallen comrade Afshin Osanlou has been under threat for a long time. Mansour Osanlou, the brother of Afshin Osanlou, is also a worker activist. Mansour was a prominent and founding member of the Vahed Bus Transit Company Syndicate. Due to his shining struggles, he was imprisoned, brutally tortured, and sentenced to 5 years prison term. After finishing his sentence, Mansour had to leave Iran because the Islamic regime has threatened his life. The mother of Afshin Osanlou is also under threat and pressure by the regime on Iran. The worker-activists are faced not only with torture and imprisonment, but also with pain and suffering inflicted on their families by the Islamic government.
Dear Comrades,
The capitalist regime of the Islamic Republic is fearful of the formation of independent worker-organizations. The Islamic regime sees end of its parasitic life nearing when the working class and the people are united, and is trying to suffocate any attempt to build independent and democratic workers' organizations, and detained and charges the worker-activists with conspiracy against “national security”. But the struggle for the formation of trade unions has a long history in Iran, and the arrests and imprisonment of the activists by the regimes of the Shah and the Islamic Republic has been unable to stop this struggle. By the intensification of their struggle against the Islamic Republic, workers will impose their demands on the regime.
The Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan) takes the regime of the Islamic Republic directly responsible for the death of Afshin Osanlou. We strongly condemn the arrest, mistreatment, pressure, threat, torture, imprisonment, and execution of the worker-activists. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners. We call on fraternal Parties and Organizations, democratic and progressive forces, labour activists, and freedom loving individuals to condemn the capitalist regime of the Islamic Republic for the death of Afshin Osanlou and other crimes. We ask the comrades to express solidarity with the struggles of the Iranian worker-activists and to demand the immediate and unconditional release of all imprisoned worker-activists and all political prisoners.
Shame and Disgust to the Regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran !
Release all worker-activists immediately and unconditionally!
Long live the struggles of the Iranian workers and Toilers !
Long Live Socialism !
The Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan)
July 13, 2013
