Foreign Office demand Iranian Transport Workers Union officials be released - Shock Horror

The juvenile antics of the juvenile Foreign Office minister Kim Howells are rarely worth noting .

However.

The British government yesterday announced support for a day of action by the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) and Amnesty International over the detention since late last year of an Iranian bus workers' leader and others.

"We call on the government of Iran to release immediately Mansour Ossanlou (oo)and Mahmoud Salehi....They have been imprisoned for several months for their involvement in peaceful activities in support of workers' rights in Iran. This is a clear violation of their right to freedom of expression and association."

It seems improbable but our Foriegn and Commonwealth office have taken up the fight for Mansour Ossalou, head of the Tehran bus conductors' union.

Mansour was jailed last July after a protest over low pay and poor conditions. In September five unionists were accused of acting against national security after visiting his home.

The ISNA news agency reported that Iranian authorities / Police had arrested four trade unionists who work for the state bus company.

The ITF announced a protest action outside the Iranian embassy in London, as well as in cities around the world. "The Iranian government's continuing mistreatment of Mansour is a running sore," said ITF head David Cockroft.

"He has asked only for his basic rights and has been answered with fists, truncheons and manacles - but he has not been forgotten," he said.

The popinjay Howells said "We share the international concerns about the growing repression and severity of action taken against labor rights activists who work tirelessly to defend the rights of workers in Iran."

Would that he take the opportunity to support the workers rights of the Oil Unions in Iraq which Hassan Juma, President of the Iraqi Oil Workers Union has been calling for from the platform of the Stop the War Roadshow in towns up and down the country last week.

Stephen Smith, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, outlined the government’s commitment to core international labour standards and said: "The Australian government will continue to call upon the Iranian government to respect and uphold human rights.”

See photogrpahs of action around the world one above is from BTB (Belgische Transportarbeiders Bond)Kortrijk Belgium