Dozens of high profile trade unionists from the UK and Greece are among the latest to back the campaign in solidarity with arrested labour lawyer Haitham Mohamedain who was seized by the Egyptian security forces on 18 May in a series of arrests targeting critics of the Sisi regime. His detention was recently renewed for another 15 days. Middle East Solidarity stalls at the annual congresses of the PCS civil servants union and the university and college workers’ UCU union distributed campaign postcards and gathered signatures for the petition demanding Haitham’s release.

Backers for the campaign in PCS include:

Ian Lawrence General Secretary. NAPO

Janice Godrich President PCS

Chris Baugh Assistant General Secretary PCS

Dave Bean ex-Deputy President PCS

Peter Edwards. MCA EBU, PCS

Mark Baker. PCS National Executive Committee

Austin Harney. PCS National Executive Committee

Paul Williams PCS National Executive Committee

Hector Wesley PCS National Executive Committee

Marianne Owens PCS National Executive Committee

Keith Crane EFRA Group Executive PCS

D G Owens DWP Group Executive PCS

Hamish Drummond Group Treasurer Revenue & Customs PCS.

Ian Lowther Revenue & Customs Group Executive Committee PCS

Nick McCarthy Senior National Officer PCS

Peter Lockhart National Officer PCS

Steve Cawkwell National Officer

UCU outgoing president President Joanna de Groot, incoming President Douglas Chalmers and several members of the national executive have also signed the statement in solidarity with Haitham, which has been widely circulated to the union’s members.

Nita Sanghera, UCU’s newly-elected Vice-President told Egypt Solidarity why she is backing the campaign:

As a member of a union, I believe that a voice for social justice is a democratic right that is deserved by one and all. Anyone disempowered or sanctioned for exercising their human rights to freedom of speech needs our full support. Haitham Mohamedain has been denied and jailed for exercising his fundamental rights, he must be freed now!”

 

Meanwhile signatures have also flooded in from Greece, with leading figures from unions representing health workers, transport workers, civil servants, local government workers, media workers, metalworkers and teachers adding their support. Signatories from Greece include:

Argiri Erotokritou, member of the steering committee, health workers union, G. Genimatas Hospital, Athens

Zanneta Lysikatou, member of the general Council, of the Federation of Hospital doctors, (OENGE)

Irini Fotelli, member of the steering committee of Federation of TV and radio workers unions

Kostas Katarahias, member of the steering committee, Athens and Piraeus, Hospital Doctors union, (EINAP)

Katerina Patrikiou, secretary, health workers union, Athens cancer hospital Aghios Savvas

Yorgos Botsides, member of the steering committee, Evros Labour Centre

Costas Pittas, secretary, Federation of civil servants unions in the Ministry of Development

Spyros Revithis, president, Athens Metro workers Union

Vasilis Sylaidis, member of the steering committee, Athens Labour Center

Costas Vorgias, member of the steering committee, INTRACOM workers union

Nikos Hatzaras, secretary, Local government workers union, Ampelokipi, Greater Salonica

Alexandros Martzoukos, member of the steering committee, Actors Union of Greece,

Yiannis Theocharis, member of the steering committee, Federation of Metalworkers of Greece

Grigoris Kalomoiris, member of the steering committee, National Confederation of Public Service (ADEDY)

Thanasis Diavolakis, member of the steering committee, Federation of Teachers in Private Schools.

Manolis Mastorakis, member of the steering committee, Union of Athens Water and Sewerage Company

What you can do:

• Add your name to the protest statement here
• Read highlights from the list of signatories here
• Pass a resolution in your trade union branch calling for the immediate release of Haitham and all other political prisoners in Egypt