The Alberta Teachers’ Association

International efforts to save Farzad Kamangar fail

ATA News staff

Despite international efforts to save his life, Iranian teacher trade unionist Farzad ­Kamangar, who was imprisoned and living under the threat of a death penalty for more than two years, was summarily executed along with four others on May 9.

The 35-year-old Kamangar, a member of the Teachers’ Union of Kurdistan, was the focus of an Education International (EI) urgent action appeal (ATA News, September 9 and 23 and December 2, 2008). According to EI, he was accused by the Iranian government of “endangering national security” and “enmity against God.” Kamangar was sentenced to death in February 2008, after a sham trial that lasted less than five minutes.

Iranian authorities accepted Kamangar’s appeal but the case stalled when it should have been sent to the Supreme Court for review. After further delays, the teacher’s lawyer was told that his file had been lost. Despite the clear lack of independent inquiry into the allegations and the absence of a fair judicial process, Kamangar was executed.

EI expressed shock at the news of Kamangar’s execution. EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen said: “We are all deeply shocked and saddened to hear that Farzad has been executed. His case was particularly troubling to our 30 million members because of the opaque and secretive manner in which his trial was conducted, the lack of basic rights he had access to whilst in prison, and the fact that neither his family or legal representatives were informed of his execution. This is a terrible day for teachers, union activists and human rights. EI expresses our solidarity with Farzad’s family, colleagues and students.”

Van Leeuwen went on to call upon Iran to respect due process and human rights. “EI recognises the rights and responsibilities of all governments to bring to justice those suspected of criminal offences but this must be in line with international and national standards of fair trial. EI is also unequivocal that the Iranian government must ensure respect for all trade union and human rights.”

ATA President Carol Henderson echoed Fred van Leeuwen’s opinion about Kamangar’s trial. In a letter, dated May 12, to Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Henderson said: “On behalf of Alberta’s 35,000 teachers, I am writing to express our great sorrow and anger over the senseless execution of Farzad Kamangar.” She said Alberta teachers were troubled by the secrecy surrounding Kamangar’s trial and “his mistreatment, including torture, in Evin Prison; and the complete lack of communication to both his family and his legal representatives regarding his execution.”

The ATA president urged Iran’s leader to immediately release other detained teacher trade unionists and to accord them a fair trial.

In the wake of Kamangar’s death, EI is taking the following actions and is calling on its ­member organizations to follow suit:

• EI is joining international networks and campaigns to remember Farzad Kamangar and support other Iranian teachers and union activists, including Rasoul Bodaghi, Hashem Khastar and Bahman Goudarzzade, who remain in prison in Iran.
• EI is writing to the Supreme Leader and Iranian authorities to request a transparent investigation into the execution of Kamangar and to halt any further executions.
• EI is informing and calling on all EI affiliates to write to their respective country’s foreign office to express their shock at the execution of Kamangar, to call for open and fair trials, and an end to the death penalty.
• EI is encouraging its affiliates to hold vigils to mark the sad news of Kamangar’s death.