Iranian teacher trade unionist faces death penalty - protest now!

Iranian academic and teacher trade unionist Prof Abdolreza Ghanbari is facing the death penalty in Iran. Like many, his crime if "enmity towards God", a catch-all offence used primarily to trigger reference to revolutionary courts not restricted by normal legal standards of evidence. An online campaign is now underway to persuade the authorities to stay the execution of Prof Abdolreza Ghanbari and revoke the death sentence; to drop all charges against all detained trade unionists and release them immediately; to comply with the international labour standards and respect the rights of Iranian workers to freedom of association, assembly and expression.

Prof Ghanbari, a 44-year-old lecturer of Payam e Nour University, was arrested at his home in Pakdasht on 4 January 2010. He was charged with enmity towards God for receiving unsolicited emails from an armed opposition group, to which he does not belong. He has been sentenced to death and his death sentence has been confirmed by Tehran's Appeal Court, Branch 36 in April 2010. He has since been waiting on death row. A request for pardon was rejected on February 28 by the Commission of Justice in Tehran.

International teacher trade union Education International, its Iranian affiliate the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations. the International Trade Union Confederation and the TUC are all calling for Abdolreza's life to be spared. Find out more about the repression of trade unionists in Iran.

Owen Tudor