Dear Comrades,

The regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran has intensified the repression and arrest of the worker-activists, women, youths, and of university students. Using the pretext of US imperialists' military threats and of the repeated adoption of the UN resolutions to impose economic sanctions, the capitalist regime of the Islamic Republic has put tremendous pressure on the Iranian masses and is responding to the just demands of the people by bullets and terror. On July 10, Mansour Ossanlou the head of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburb Bus Company (Sherkat e Vahed) was kidnapped by a group (in civilian clothes) related to the Islamic Republic's security forces. According to the reports given by his family, Mansour is now imprisoned in section 209 of notorious Evin prison in Tehran. The infamous Evin prison is known as a torture chamber of the opponents of the Shah and the Sheikh. The life of Mr. Ossanlou is in danger in the prison.

Mr. Ossanlou has fearlessly defended democratic rights of the employees of Sherkt e Vahed Bus Company and has formed an independent union for them. This brave activist has mocked the Islamic Republic's torture and imprisonment. These are Mr. Ossanlou's only guilt!

Mansour Ossanlou is a labour activist who strongly opposes any economic sanction or imperialist military invasion of Iran. For several years, Ossanlou has struggled to achieve the workers' rights, the right to strike, and the right to form organisation. He is respected by the workers and freedom-seeking people of Iran.

Our Party, the Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan), calls on each of the fraternal Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organisations to send protest letters to Iranian Consulates and to take other appropriate actions condemning the kidnapping of Mr. Ossanlou and demanding his immediate and unconditional release. We must demand the immediate release of all imprisoned worker-activists, women, youths, students, and dissidents.

Our Party strongly and resolutely opposes any UN economic sanction or any imperialist-Zionist military action against Iran. We believe that the barbaric and suppressive policies of the Islamic Republic against workers, students, women and the freedom-seeking patriots only serve the interests of imperialists and Zionists. We strongly condemn these policies.

The Foreign Office of the Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan)
July 13, 2007
www.Toufan.org
Toufan@toufan.org

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