We reproduce a statement sent by comrades of the International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI) on the arrest of Mehran Raoof, activist for workers rights in Iran. We express our solidarity and call for international solidarity demanding his liberation.
Free Mehran Raoof
Mehran Raoof has been detained in solitary confinement since October 16, 2020.
A wave of arrests of labour and social activists in Tehran and other cities in Iran took place during the first two weeks of October 2020. Mehran Raoof, who is a left leaning workers’ rights’ activist, was arrested in the evening of October 16, 2020 after security forces raided his home in Tehran. During the raid, his home was searched, his computer, mobile phone and some other documents were confiscated.
During the same week that Mehran was arrested, more than a dozen other social, political, left and labour activists were also arrested. Since then many of the arrestees have been released on bail.
We are particularly concerned about the situation of Mehran Raoof because he has been facing harsher treatment by the authorities, and he has no immediate family in Iran to pursue his case. Mehran used to teach English and was an advocate for workers’ rights and unionization. Born and raised in Iran, Mehran had also lived in England and has both a British and an Iranian citizenship. We are concerned that his dual citizenship might have put him in a more precarious situation. Furthermore, Mehran has had no access to legal counsel; he has distant relatives who have not been able to connect with him. Since his arrest Mehran is being held in solitary confinement in Ward Number 2A of the notorious Evin Prison, which is the Security Department of the Revolutionary Guard. Ward Number 2A is notoriously known to many activists and there are some memoirs written by prisoners about their interrogation and tortures in this ward. These stories convey the sense of despair they had in this Ward and the tendency towards suicidal thoughts while they were there. All this heightens our concern for Mehran’s safety and well-being.
We have recently been informed that Mehran has been under tremendous pressure by the repressive prison authorities of the Iranian government, and we are fearful that he might be under the imminent risk of further mistreatment and torture. As a regular and shameful practice of the Iranian prison and intelligent authorities, we are fearful that Mehran might be forced to make false confessions against himself and others.
The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible for the health and well-being of Mehran Raoof. Mehran is a 64 year old labour and social activist, and, as a prisoner of conscious, he has done nothing to justify his arbitrarily detention and unwarranted solitary confinement for more than 3 months. We urge all labour, progressive and human rights’ organizations to demand immediate release of Mehran Raoof. Without such international solidarity efforts, Mehran Raoof might continue to be unjustifiably incarcerated for a long time.
For more information, contact: Satar Rahmani (Workers’ activist and member of IASWI) +447757593255.
International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI)
January 22, 2021