On 9 April Mahmood Salehi was lured to the prosecutor’s office [in the city of Saghez] under the pretext of discussing this year’s May Day rally. He was detained on the spot through a court order which had never been served on him before, and was immediately taken to Section 7 of the Central Prison of Sanandaj.

Salehi’s detention in this way more than anything else shows that those behind the order have lost their nerve and want to enforce the order so as to undermine workers preparing for May Day.

Salehi’s trial and arrest is an affront to the working class and violation of millions of workers’ most obvious right to celebrate May Day. We will not remain silent on this. We regard celebrating May Day as our indisputable right, and will hold this year’s ceremony ever more magnificently.

We the undersigned condemn the trial and arrest of Mahmood Salehi and call for his immediate and unconditional release. We call upon all workers and workers’ organisations to protest at Salehi’s arrest and to demand his immediate and unconditional release.

On the eve of May Day, we also call on the world’s labour organisations to support the internationally recognised right of workers to freely celebrate May Day in Iran and to demand Mahmood Salehi’s release.

1- The Founding Committee of the National Union of Expelled and Unemployed Workers

2- The Electrical and Metal Workers’ Trade Association of Kermanshah

3- Workers of Shahoo Textile Company

4- Worker of Kurdistan Textile Company

5- A group of workers of Tehran and Suburbs United Bus Company (“Sherkat e Vahed”)

6- A group of workers of Par-Ris Textile Company

7- A group of laid-off workers of Alumin Company

8- A group of workers of Kermanshah Petrochemical Company

9- A group of workers of Asalooye Company

10- Workers in charge of Shora labour website