Jafar Azimzadeh, the head of Iran’s Free Trade Union, has reported to Evin Prison to serve out a six-year prison sentence.
According to the Free Trade Union website, Azimzadeh reported to Evin on Sunday November 8 at 10 AM after receiving a summons last week.
The labour activist’s charges included “assembly and colluding against national security”, “disrupting public order” and “propaganda activities against the regime”.
He is also banned from political and media activities.
Many workers from Sanandaj, Karaj and Tehran showed up at the Evin Prison grounds with banners challenging the incarceration of their colleague.
Azimzadeh was one of the coordinators behind a petition signed by 40,000 workers and sent to the Minister of Labour on the occasion of International Workers’ Day, demanding improvements to working conditions.
Azimzadeh was also accused by the court of having “a Marxist mindset”.