As promised please find attached pictures taken outside the Houses of Parliament, London. We will have photos of the demonstration outside the Iranian Embassy here later today and I will also send some of these. Updates on events around the world are being posted at http://www.itfglobal.org/campaigns/osanloo-action.cfm

 

Two pieces of news that may be of interest are that both The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Australian Minister for Foreign Affaris have released statements protesting against the detention of Mansour Osanloo (see below).

 

Yours,

Sam Dawson

ITF press officer

 

Photos

 

The photos show the following people in front of the Houses of Parliament:

 

Clive Betts MP (Member of Parliament), Secretary of the UK Iran Parliamentary Group

Laura Moffat MP

Katy Clark MP

 

Stuart Howard, ITF Assistant General Secretary

Jeremy Dear, NUJ General Secretary

Owen Tudor, TUC Interantional Secretary

Keith Sonnet, Unison Deputy General Secretary

Andy Reed Aslef National Organiser

Gary Fabian, Aslef Senior Policy and International Adviser

 

Statements

 

From the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office

 

PRESS RELEASE: 6 MARCH 2008 

DR HOWELLS CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF DETAINED TRADE UNIONISTS IN IRAN

 

Foreign Office Minister Dr Kim Howells has welcomed the ITUC/ITF global day of action in support of Iranian workers and trade unionists today. Dr Howells said:

 

‘We share the international concerns about the growing repression and severity of action taken against labour rights activists who work tirelessly to defend the rights of workers in Iran.

 

‘We call on the government of Iran to release immediately Mansour Ossanlou and Mahmoud Salehi. They have been imprisoned for several months for their involvement in peaceful activities in support of workers’ rights in Iran. This is a clear violation of their right to freedom of expression and association.

 

‘We urge Iran to respect fully the right to form or join trade unions, in accordance with its commitments as a member of the International Labour Organisation and the international human rights conventions it has ratified.’

  

FCO Press Office: 020 7008 3100


Please find attached a statement from Stephen Smith, Minister for Foreign Affairs, in relation to the arrest of Mansour Ossanloo.

Best wishes for the success of the rally.

Regards
Andrew Dempster



+ + +

Arrest of Mansour Ossanloo

The Australian Government, through our Embassy in Tehran, has protested the arrest and detention of Mansour Ossanloo, the head of a bus driver's union in Iran.

Mr Ossanloo was arrested on charges of “acting against national security” and “issuing propaganda against the system”.

The Australian Government is fully committed to the core international labour standards enshrined in the International Labour Organisation's 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

The Declaration includes the freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.

The Australian Government will continue to call upon the Iranian Government to respect and uphold human rights.

From: Andrew.Dempster@dfat.gov.au [mailto:Andrew.Dempster@dfat.gov.au]