Four Iran Sugar Union Leaders Free but President Nejati Still in Prison and Facing Additional Sentence

While 4 convicted leaders of the independent Haft Tapeh sugarworkers union in Iran have now been freed, President Ali Nejati remains in prison, where he could spend two years or more on charges of 'endangering national security'. Union Communications Officer Reza Rakhshan is stiill awaiting final sentencing for his conviction last year on similar charges.

Nejati is currently serving a one-ear sentence and faces an additional term of one year or more.

Gorban Alipour and Mohammad Heidari have been released after completing all or part of their sentences; Jali Ahmadi and Feridun Nikfar have been released conditionally on probation after partially serving their sentences.

Nothing has changed at Haft Tapeh, where workers have had to resort to spontaneous industrial action on several occasions since the union leaders were imprisoned in order to obtain payment of their wages.

The campaign for the Haft Tapeh workers will continue until:

President Ali Nejati is released, his sentence annulled and all pending charges are dropped:

all past and present charges against Reza Rakhshan are dropped;

all Haft Tapeh union officers are immediately reinstated in their jobs, with full back pay;

the government and the company recognize the Haft Tapeh Union as the workers' representative for collective bargaining, fully respecting all trade rights.