KitNotes

Free the detained Iranian student activists!

As education workers and student activists, we condemn the detention of
over forty student activists by the Iranian regime since 7 December (16
Azar in the Iranian calendar). This date has been a day of student protest
in Iran for many years; it is now a symbol of Iranian students’ struggle
against the theocratic-capitalist regime of the Islamic Republic just as
it was against the dictatorship of the Shah. Activists were arrested in
the run up to the day of action, and following the demonstrations and
actions which took place in a number of cities. Many are now reportedly
being held in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison and have been subjected to
torture.

This is just the latest act of repression meted out by the Islamic
Republic; it follows an intense crackdown on the Iranian workers’ movement
and the brutal victimisation of leading trade unionists such as Tehran
busworkers’ leader Mansour Ossanlou and Saqez bakers’ union activist
Mahmoud Salehi. The Iranian regime is acutely aware of the growing
alliance between Iran’s workers’ and student movements; meanwhile it is
using the threat of a US attack to legitimise itself and step up its
repression of dissent.

We call on the Iranian government to immediately release all detained
student, women’s and labour movement activists, and call on all
working-class, student, left and anti-war activists and organisations in
the UK for solidarity with Iranian workers, students and women against the
dual threats of US militarism and theocratic-capitalist oppression.

Sofie Buckland, NUS National Executive Committee and Education Not for Sale
Laura Schwartz, NUS Women’s Committee, University of East London
Sophie Lafayette, NUS Women’s Committee, University of Nottingham
Aled Dilwyn Fisher, London School of Economics Students’ Union executive
and Young Greens membership officer (pc)
Sacha Ismail, for Alliance for Workers’ Liberty students and youth
Heather Shaw, Bretton Hall Officer, Leeds University Union (2005-6)
Daniel Randall, NUS NEC (2005-6) & Secretary, University of Sheffield No
Sweat Society
Pat Murphy, National Union of Teachers NEC
Tom Unterrainer, Joint Secretary, Nottingham City NUT
Pete Radcliff, Branch Secretary, Derby University UCU
Pat Markey, Branch Secretary, Northampton Association NUT
Tim Cooper, Nottingham Trent University
Sam Ross, University of Sheffield SWSS
Daniel Perrett, Cambridge University
Clare Whitney, Cambridge University
Tom Bamford, University of Sussex
Richard Houguez, Byam Shaw School of Art
Stephen Wood, President, Hull University Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transexual Campaign (pc); Treasurer, Hull University Left Book Club
Daniel Fisher, SRC Science Representative, St. Andrews University
Molly Uzzel, SRC Representative for Women’s Issues, St. Andrews University
Terry Fulton, SRC Representative for Postgraduate Accommodation, St.
Andrews University
James Pollard, SRC Accommodation Representative, St. Andrews University
Harry Giles, SRC Representative for Absent Students, St. Andrews University
Alex Hayes, SRC Representative for Part-Time Students, St. Andrews University
Lukas Ross, SRC Representative for Ethnic Minorities, St. Andrews University
Marcus Mayo, SRC Representative for the School of Divinity, St. Andrews
University
Martin Schmier, SRC Reprentative without Portfolio, St. Andrews University
David Broder, Kings College London
Alois T Mbawara, Sussex University, Free Zim Youth activist
Laura Rogers, Institute of Education
Joe Flynn, Youth & Students Officer, Chingford and Woodgreen Constituency
Labour Party
Joe Wilson, Cambridge University
Ed Maltby, Camridge University
James Ross

Please add your or your organisation’s name to this statement; it will be
translated and sent to activists in Iran. Email your name to Daniel at
skillz_999@hotmail.com