Iran: Transfer of trade union leader, Mansour Osanloo, to Rajaei Prison in the city of Karaj

Your Excellency,

I am concerned by reports of the transfer of human rights defender Mansour Osanloo to Rajaei Prison in the city of Karaj. Mansour Osanloo is an advocate of workers' rights and President of the Executive Board of Sherkat-e Vahed (the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburban Bus Vahed Company), Mansour Osanloo was arrested on 10 July 2007 by security services while he was leaving his place of work. Following his arrest, he was sentenced to five-year imprisonment after being convicted of “anti-regime propaganda” and “activities against national security”.

Mansour Osanloo was recently transferred from Evin prison in Tehran to Rajaei prison in the city of Karaj. Reports indicate that on 9 July 2008, Mansour Osanloo may have been taken to court for a further arraignment instead of to a pre-arranged hospital appointment and that he has since been transferred to Hall 10 in Reformatory 4 of Rajaei Prison. Mansour Osanloo is known to have a heart condition and poor eye-sight and he was reportedly previously told by prison authorities that he would be transferred to a hospital for medical treatment.

Mansour Osanloo had previously been arrested on 22 December 2005 and detained incommunicado at Evin prison for a period of 7 months. On 8 November 2006, he was again arrested and detained for several hours along with nine members of Sherkat-e Vahed. On 19 November 2006, he was arrested in Tehran by plain-clothed policemen and subsequently detained in section 209 of Evin prison. He was denied access to legal representation until December 2006 and was released on 19 December 2006.

I am concerned that the transfer of Mansour Osanloo to Rajaei Prison is directly related to his legitimate peaceful activities in defence of human rights in Iran, in particular the rights of workers to enjoy freedom of assembly and freedom of association. I wish to express my concern for his physical and pschological integrity given the fact that he requires medical attention.

I urge the Iranian authorities to:

1.Grant the immediate and unconditional release of Mansour Osanloo as he is being detained solely on the basis of his legitimate non-violent human rights work;

2.Take measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mansour Osanloo while in detention, including access to appropriate medical treatment, and ensure his freedom from ill-treatment and torture, as is his right under Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

3.Take measures to ensure that all human rights defenders in Iran, carrying out their legitimate work in human rights, are able to operate free of all restrictions and harassment.

Yours sincerely