Ei-iE

Iranian teacher unionist Esmail Abdi has been transferred from solitary confinement to the general ward of the Evin prison.

On14 July, after more than seventeen days in jail, he talked with his family. His wife, three children and his mother were able to meet him in person for an hour and fifteen minutes in the presence of an assistant interrogator. According to his wife, Mr. Abdi was in good spirits and his famous cheerful disposition had not changed. Mr. Abdi informed his family that his interrogation is at the final stages.

This information has been received from the International Alliance in support of workers in Iran (IASWI).

The unjustified detention of the union leader has angered the community of teachers in Iran and there has been active response to his arrest throughout the country.

The mobilisation continues through the Education International (EI) Urgent Action Appeal. Many official letters have been sent to Iranian authorities asking them to release Esmail Abdi and other imprisoned teachers and to secure Abdi’s right to travel to Canada to attend the EI’s Congress. The LabourStart appeal promoted by EI has been signed by over 10,000 individuals.

The Canadian EI affiliates, hosts of the World Congress, have also  launched a Thunderclap campaign in support of Esmail Abdi.

As EI stated previously, in addition to Esmail Abdi, five other teacher unionists are languishing in the Iranian prisons: Ali Akbar Baghani, Rasoul Bodaghi, Mahmoud Bagheri (all three board members of the Tehran Teachers Trade Association), Alireza Hashemi and Alireza Ghanbari

The situation of ordinary teacher activists and their family in Iran is considered very alarming by all the specialists that EI has reached within and outside Iran.