Brussels, 23 October 2007: The ITUC is relieved to learn that Mansour Osanloo, the imprisoned President of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (Sherkat-e Vahed) has finally received much-needed emergency eye surgery.

Osanloo, whose imprisonment had earlier prevented him from undergoing scheduled eye surgery, was at risk of becoming totally blind. On Saturday, 20 October 2007 he was finally taken from the Evin prison for the specialist treatment. The ITUC has received reports that the procedure, which took about eight hours, was successful, and wishes Osanloo a speedy recovery.

The ITUC acknowledges Osanloo’s treatment as a step towards the fair and humane treatment of prisoners and thanks all those who have expressed their solidarity with Iranian workers.

Founded on 1 November 2006, the ITUC represents 168 million workers in 153 countries and territories and has 305 national affiliates.

For more information, please contact the ITUC Press Department on: +32 2 224 0204 or +32 476 621 018.