International

Channel Four’s strange decision

26th December 2008 — Filed under: International

Nigel Stanley Nigel Stanley

Channel 4 likes to shock, but their decision that President Ahmadinejad of Iran – a regime that that both locks and beats up trade unionists -was a suitable person for their alternative Christmas broadcast was wrong.

4 Responses to Channel Four’s strange decision

  1. Owen Tudor

    Comment made by Owen on Dec 27th 2008 at 7:32 pm:

    As predicted on the TUC Stronger Unions blog (http://www.strongerunions.org/2008/12/this-christmas-theres-a-teacher-trade-unionist-facing-a-death-sentence/), President Ahmadinejad’s regime is using this holiday season – as so often before – to crack down on trade unionists when it thinks no one is watching. On 22 December, writers’ union activist Mohsen Hakimi was arrested (see TUC protest at http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-15789-f0.cfm), and on 27 December, bus workers’ leader Ebrahim Madadi was also arrested (see protest at http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-15790-f0.cfm). As Channel 4 commissioning editors tuck into their Christmas turkey, those unlucky enough to live under the person they chose to deliver their Christmas message are languishing in jail. I hope Channel 4 excutives choke on their festive food and drink.

  2. Trackback made by Iranian Government - predictable repression of trade unions | STRONGER UNIONS on Dec 27th 2008 at 9:04 pm:

    [...] colleague Nigel Stanley, writing on the TUC Touchstone blog, described their decision to do so as wrong, and an Iranian blogger was [...]

  3. Comment made by Mac Urata on Dec 28th 2008 at 2:32 am:

    I agree with you, Nigel
    you may know that the Iranian authorities arrested a bus union leader, Ebrahim Madadi today in Tehran. He is the third person in two weeks that is detained by the secret police.
    http://www.itfglobal.org/campaigns/freeosanloo.cfm

    Surely Channel 4 must report this new wave of oppression towards the independent workers’ movement in Iran!

    Also big thanks to the TUC for protesting to these events very shiftly during the holiday season.

  4. Comment made by Eric Lee on Dec 29th 2008 at 12:05 pm:

    Well done, Nigel. It shouldn’t only be the Jewish community and a handful of human rights activists making noise about this. Glad to hear a trade union voice as well.