Iran has released today prominent Kurdish labour activist Osman Esmaeili from Sanandaj Central Prison on a bail of 50 million Iranian Tomans – nearly 2,000 USD.
Security forces arrested Kurdish labour activist Osman Esmaeili in front of his house in Saqqez, Kurdistan province, on 20 October.
They then took him to a security detention centre in Sanandaj.
On 25 October, Esmaeili was transferred from this security detention centre to Sanandaj Central Prison after his interrogation.
Esmaeili is a well-known labour activist who has been repeatedly arrested and imprisoned by security forces for defending workers’ rights.
In the latest case, he was arrested in May, along with another prominent Kurdish labour activist, Mahmoud Salehi, after being summoned to the Saqqez court.
In late May, Branch 1 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Saqqez sentenced Salehi and Esmaeili to three and six months in prison, respectively.
It charged them with “propaganda against the state” over holding International Workers’ Day celebrations.
The sentences were then, according to Article 38 of the Iranian Islamic Penal Code, commuted to payments of the fines of two million Iranian Tomans – nearly 80 USD – for Salehi and four million Tomans – nearly 160 USD – for Esmaeili.
The two labour activists were finally released from Saqqez Prison after 25 days.
