The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has issued the following news release:12 June 2007. For immediate release
Global union in justice call after Russian knife attack
The ITF today called on its member unions to back it in its demands for a proper investigation into the knifing of a member of the Dockers’ Union of Russia (DUR) outside the union’s Kaliningrad office.
The call comes after Mikhail Chesalin, Chairman of the DUR’s branch in the city, was beaten and repeatedly stabbed from behind by an unknown number of assailants as he was about to enter the office at 10:30 on 7 June 2007. He was left lying unconscious on the ground.
In an appeal to its affiliated unions to join its calls to the Governor of Kaliningrad and the Director of the Port of Kaliningrad for an investigation, Frank Leys, Secretary of the ITF’s Dockers Section, said: “The ITF was outraged to hear about the violent assault of Mikhail Chesalin. The DUR has asked us to help put pressure on the law enforcement agencies to properly investigate the case.
“Russia has joined the shameful list of states where trade unionists are targets for assaults. The instigators should be aware that the worldwide dockers’ community will not stand by and accept that these crimes are left unpunished, and we are therefore calling on all affiliates to demand that justice is carried out, and trade union rights respected in Russia.”
ENDS
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