Trade unionists may not be arrested or detained for legitimate trade union activities. This ILO key principle applies to all trade unionists, whether they are leaders, rank-and-file members or organizers of a trade union even before it is formed. Where trade unionists are charged with violation of ordinary criminal law, the charge must not be a pretext for the suppression of the association. If a trade unionist has been arrested, this chart can help decide whether to seek recourse to the FOA supervisory bodies.
Any trade unionist who is arrested should be presumed innocent until proven guilty. They have a right to a public trial during which they enjoy all the guarantees necessary for their defense.