Said Elhairech freed: ITF comment

News Release International Transport Federation (ITF) October 4, 2012

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The ITF is pleased to
report that all the serious charges against imprisoned Moroccan trade unionist
Said Elhairech have been dismissed and he is now free with his innocence proven.
Only one minor charge against him remains on thebooks. He is now at home with
his family.
 
ITF general secretary
David Cockroft commented: “Said's first call, as soon as he was free, was to the
ITF Arab World regional secretary, Bilal Malkawi, to thank the ITF for our Free
Said campaign. Coming immediately following the presence in Casablanca of our
inspectors and maritime union activists, this shows the power of the ITF.
 As I said last Thursday at the closing session of our Maritime Roundtable
there, while jailing union leaders for doing their job in Morocco is not
uncommon, this time they picked two people who had the ITF behind them. It now
remains for the court to speedily release Said’s colleague Mohamed Chamchati,
with his reputation also intact."
 
He continued: “For over
100 days Said has languished in jail and trade unionists around the world have
fought for his release. This is undoubtedly the rightdecision, if overdue, and
it proves what we said all along, that the charges were ridiculous - and we have
broadcast that fact to the world.”
 
ITF president Paddy
Crumlin stated: “Dockworkers, seafarers and other transport workers around the
world and their unions will welcome Said’s release. Unfortunately, like Mohamed,
he was jailed for nothing more than meeting the obligatory international
obligations in protecting labour rights, obligations applying equally to
including employers and governments. The Moroccan government now has a clear
opportunity to show regional leadership by ensuring those obligations are
protected in national law in a way acceptable to every country accepting its
civil, human and labour rights aspirations and responsibilities.”
 
He continued: “This is a
great day for Said, for Morocco and for trade unionism. This decision is a
testament to his effectiveness as a trade unionist and the effectiveness of all
the unions that have struggled so hard, and now so successfully, to clear his
name. The release of Mohamed must now also follow.”
 
Said Elhairech, general secretary of
the Moroccan Ports Union, part of the ITF-affiliated UMT, and chair of the ITF
Arab World regional committee, was arrested on 16 June on charges of ‘sabotage
and endangering national security’. He consistently rejected the accusations and
has been backed throughout by the ITF, which has believed all along that he was
wrongly charged following his very effective work on behalf of ships’ crews
stranded by the cessation of operations of the Comarit-Comanav ferry company,
which he undertook at the ITF’s request. Both he and Mohamed Chamchati have
proclaimed their innocence throughout. The ITF has mobilised its resources
worldwide in support of Said and Mohamed and their fight for justice.
 
For more details please see <A
href="redir.aspx?C=10d7cd958b624624944c813e2ebba4eb&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.itfglobal.org%2fsolidarity%2fSaid-Elhairech.cfm"
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