On 7 March, EI launched an online campaign in collaboration with LabourStart, calling on the Iranian authorities to stay the execution of Prof. Ghanbari and revoke his death sentence. The EI appeal generated huge solidarity within the trade union movement. With more than 16,000 messages sent to the authorities in 14 languages, this campaign is the most successful ever launched on LabourStart. The support and efforts of EI affiliates, encouraging their members to join the appeal and give visibility to the campaign, were decisive in this success.

Through letters sent to their embassies and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, several EI member organisations and other unions requested their governments to engage with the Iranian authorities regarding Ghanbari’s case.

You can still join the campaign and send your online message to the Iranian Authorities:

http://www.ei-ie.org/en/uaas/uaa_details/39

EI also welcomes the fact that Amnesty International has joined the campaign in support of Prof. Ghanbari and launched its own campaign on 23 March.

Abdolreza Ghanbari, a 44-year-old lecturer of Payam e Nour University, was arrested at his home in Pakdasht on 4 January 2010 and charged with Moharebeh (enmity towards God) for receiving unsolicited emails from an armed opposition group, to which he does not belong. While in detention at the notorious Evin Prison, he was interrogated for 25 days in a row and forced to confess, under duress, to unproven charges. Prof. Ghanbari's death sentence was confirmed by Tehran's Appeal Court in April 2010. A request for pardon was rejected on 28 February 2012 by the Commission of Justice in Tehran. He has since been waiting on death row.