Iran : European Commission supports trade unionists
Responding to a joint International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)/Education International (EI) letter to Catherine Ashton, the High Representative /Vice President of the European Commission, the European organisation reiterates its support to trade unionists in Iran.
In his letter addressed to the General Secretaries of both trade union organisations and dated 18 June, João Vale de Almeida, Director-General of the Directorate-General for External Relations, explains that “the European Union (EU) [...] considers that the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms such as the right to freedom of assembly and association must remain an essential pillar of our present and future relations with Iran.”
As for the use of death penalty in Iran, Vale de Almeida adds that “High Representative Ashton has issued a public statement on behalf of the EU strongly condemning the execution of Mr Farzad Kamangar and four other individuals. The EU urges Iran to comply with its obligations concerning the right to a fair trial and the respect of minimum standards in cases of capital punishment.”
EI welcomes this response from the European Commission, and like the latter will go on monitoring closely the respect for human and trade union rights in Iran.
To read the entire message of the European commission to EI and ITUC, please click on the link below.
