Radio Farda

Iraq To Relocate Iranian Exiles From Camp Ashraf

Some 3,000 MKO members were relocated to Camp Liberty (pictured) on the outskirts of Baghdad last year but some 100 people stayed on at Camp Ashraf to deal with leftover property and goods.

The United Nations says Iraqi authorities are planning to relocate dozens of Iranian exiles from a camp where 52 residents were killed last week.

The UN office in Baghdad said on September 7 that the authorities will transfer the remaining residents of Camp Ashraf in northeastern Iraq to another facility in the Baghdad area.

Camp Ashraf houses members of the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO), an Iranian exile group opposed to the Iranian government that Baghdad says is in the country illegally.

An attack on the camp on September 1 left fewer than 50 residents left.

The group has accused Iraqi troops of carrying out the assault.

The office of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has set up a probe into the incident. Iraqi officials say no Iraqi troops entered the camp.

Some Iraqi officials allege the violence began with infighting among camp residents. Others suggest explosions at the camp were triggered by mortar fire.

Some 3,000 MKO members were relocated to Camp Liberty on the outskirts of Baghdad last year but some 100 people stayed on at Camp Ashraf to deal with leftover property and goods.

The MKO was founded in the 1960s. The group seeks the overthrow of Iran’s Shi’ite clerical rule, and some of its members fought alongside former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s forces in the Iraq-Iran War of the 1980s.

Based on reporting by AFP and AP

September 8, 2013 0 comment

UN Visits Iranian Exiles At Iraqi Camp After Clashes

A United Nations team has visited an Iranian exile camp in northeast Iraq where more than 50 residents were reportedly killed in an assault on September.
that Baghdad says is in the country illegally.

The group has accused Iraqi troops of carrying out the assault. Iraqi officials have denied it.

MKO spokesman Shahin Ghobadi told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda the Iraqi government was trying to "cover up its criminal act against defenseless, unarmed people."

"Nothing has changed in this situation. The prospect of peace is not clear. The only thing, which is clear is that the UN forces — and most importantly, the U.S. government representatives — should go to that place to see what has happened there," Ghobadi added.

"And as [MKO leader] Mrs. [Maryam] Rajavi has said, the United Nations forces should go the scene so the world could become aware of this crime against humanity."

The U.S. State Department said in a statement on September 1, "Those found to be responsible must be held fully accountable."

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the United Nations "deplored" the violence and urged Iraqi authorities to investigate what he called the "tragic events" at Camp Ashraf.

The office of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has set up a probe into the incident. Iraqi officials say no Iraqi troops entered the camp.

Some Iraqi officials allege the violence began with infighting among camp residents. Others suggest explosions at the camp were triggered by mortar fire.

Some 3,000 MKO members were relocated to Camp Liberty on the outskirts of Baghdad last year but some 100 people stayed on at Camp Ashraf to deal with leftover property and goods.

With reporting by AP, AFP, Reuters, and RFE/RL’s Radio Farda

September 3, 2013 0 comment

Iran

Iran Overturns Death Sentence For MKO Member

A cell in Tehran’s Evin prison

September 15, 2007 (RFE/RL) — Tehran has overturned the death sentence of a former Mujahedin Khalq Organization member who has been held in an Iranian prison in Iran for six years.

Saeed Masuri was condemed to death in 2001 for his alleged role in an MKO"military mission" aimed against the Iranian government.

Masuri had lived in Norway since 1988, but traveled to Iran in 2001. He was arrested before he was able to carry out his alleged mission.

Masuri’s cousin, Manuchehr Masuri, told RFE/RL’s Persian-language service, Radio Farda, that officials at Tehran’s Evin prison had announced they were reducing his sentence.

"Last week when his mother went to visit him at the prison, officials told her that his death sentence has been reduced to life imprisonment," Masuri said, adding that his cousin was "very happy" about the news…

(ISNA)

(Radio Farda)

September 19, 2007 0 comment

USA

MKO and Iranian Chalabis

Spiegel Magazine has published an article, "The Second Iraq", in which discusses the issue of US’s support for Iranian opposition group, the MKO, to confront the Islamic Republic.

Rockefeller, the head of Senate’s Intelligence Committee, has recently expressed concern over the possibility of US’s action against Iran and the repetition of Iraqi story.

Pointing to Bush’s order to US forces in Iraq to shoot Iranian and Syrian agents in Iraq, Pentagon’s emphasis that Iranian agents were behind the deaths of 5 US forces in Karbala and the departure of second US aircraft carrier to the region, Spiegel writes that despite all these, the White House denies any effort to overthrow the rule of Mullahs.

Spiegel also points to Iran’s denial of interference in Iraq and that the US has delayed presentation of documents on Iranian involvement in Iraqis unrest, which were to be presented on last Thursday.

According to Spiegel, what’s more alarming here is the presence of a group of Iranian opposition in the State Department, the White House and Pentagon’s Iran office. This group claims to have documents on Iran’s nuclear activities in Arak.

Other claims of the group includes having documents on the role of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps in Najaf, secret documents from a group of physicists showing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s efforts to acquire nuclear bomb and …

The group also claims to have a list of 30000 Iraqi politicians, army and police working for Iran.

Iranian Chalabis are Coming!

Iranian Chalabis are a source of intelligence whose accuracy is not known. This group includes people like Amir Abbas Fakhravar. He introduces himself as a leader of Student’s Independent Movement who has been tortured in prison.

Spiegel refers to his visit to the US senate and his meeting with James Woosely, the former head of CIA, and a number of senior Pentagon officials.

Although Fakhravar doesn’t like to be compared to Chalabi, Spiegel says they have both a common friend: Richard Perle, well-known conservative and one of Iraq war planners.

Spiegel also writes about the budget the Bush administration has allocated to regime change in Iran. In Dubail, London and Frankfurt, US experts on Iran are looking for revolutionary people like Fakhravar.

"It seems that Bush administration has also another plan: that if it can’t stop the production of nuclear bomb by Tehran, it should be careful not to allow the Mullahs get it," Spiegel writes.

Prominent political figures like James Baker and Henry Kissinger have warned the Bush administration that it should stop such supports because working on people like Fakhravar prevents making deal with Iran.

"Meanwhile, who’s this smart guy (Fakhravar)?" Spiegel asks.

The rumors in Washington indicate that he was an ordinary wrongdoer who accidentally met the students in Evin prison. Mr. Vali Nasr, Professor of Political Sciences and a prominent Iranian expert, says comments of Fakhravar are "sheer lies" and that nobody knows him.

However, Fakhravar is not the only reservist of the US, Alireza Jafarzadeh is another one.

According to Spiegel, Jafarzadeh is busy holding interview with Fox News Channel and has recently published his book "the threat of Iran".

During a controversial press conference in August 2002, Jafarzadeh revealed the uranium enrichment facilities in Natanz.

On the issue of MKO to which Jafarzadeh belongs, Spiegel refers to thousands of its members living in Camp Ashraf near Baghdad after US invasion and that they are ready to help US forces.

Terrorist Allies in the War on Terror?

In response to this question, Jafarzadeh laughs and says they enjoy unimaginable level of support.

They have also provided many details about Iranian agents’ interferences in Iraq.

In a press conference, Jafarzadeh claimed that Revolutionary Guards Corps distributes millions of dollars among Shiite paramilitaries in the border region of Shalamcheh.

They have also claimed that Iran uses the trucks, carrying materials for reconstruction of holy cities of Iraq, to transfer weapons; however, this has not been confirmed by any other sources.

"US’s bitter experience in Iraq should prevent American people from being convinced of the necessity of another war. However, in this issue, the US is influenced by MKO," the Spiegel writes.

Also citing an article in Congressional Quarterly, Spiegel says that Pentagon uses MKO members in Camp Ashraf for setting air targets in Iran.

It’s been said that these people are given new identities so that Washington can claim easily that they have never been terrorists.

According to Spiegel, there’s big difference between current time and when Iraq was attacked: unlike the previous time during which the American media showed sympathy with occupying Iraq, this time there’s no agreement.

Last Thursday, NY Times wrote that Bush can go to another war if he’s not careful and that he could bring a disaster to his country if the Congress doesn’t stop him.

Radio Farda – 2007/02/07

February 8, 2007 0 comment

European Union

EU knows MKO is not democratic says Director of Human Rights

In a report on Iranian refugees and also on the occasion of the anniversary of approving Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Brussels, Radio Farda said:

"Ms. Sabin Mayer, Director of Human Rights and International Relations of EU’s Greens, pointed to the process of talks between Europe and Iran since the government of Khatami and said: "Geopolitically, Iran is important and European Union believes that Iran can be taken out of isolation only by dialogue. Parliament knows that along with talking with Iranian officials, more activity is needed in the field of talking with Iranian opposition, writers and citizens."

She stressed: "Iran criticized invitation of Maryam Rajavi to Strasburg. Iranian officials said that it was an indication that we were backing the idea of regime change. But we denied it. We know that the MKO has not been a democratic group and that it is a closed group. However, in terms of legal issues, EU’s laws were needed to change and therefore, restriction on MKO’s bank accounts in Europe were lifted."

Radio Farda, December 19, 2006

December 25, 2006 0 comment

USA

“We oppose this organization. We don’t support it”

Part of Radio Farda’s interview with James Jeffrey is as follows:

The political scene of the US recently witnessed two controversial developments, namely the victory of Democrats in recent elections and the report of Iraq Study Group. Will these two development a beginning for a turn in US policies towards Iran?

Amir Mossaddegh Katuzian from Radio Farda posed this question for James Jeffrey Senior Advisor of Secretary of State in Near East Affairs and US policy-making on Iran.

– CQ quoted a former American official, who talked anonymously, that the US army has deployed a number of MKO members to Israel for military training and that some other of these members had been trained in Nevada Deserts earlier. Are you aware of that?

We have also heard about that report. When I was in Baghdad, I followed MKO’s status very carefully. We consider this group a terrorist organization. American forces watch the group so as not to allow them to act against anyone.

This is being performed in coordination with the Red Cross and UNHCR. This program is related to refugees’ affairs and I think these reports are baseless.

– Massoud Rajavi, the leader of the MKO, has disappeared since the fall of Saddam. No one has heard of him. New pictures of him have not been aired by MKO’s TV channel…

He is not in our custody. As far as we know he has never been in our custody. As far as I know he is in Western Europe or in the Middle East, but he is not in Camp Ashraf.

– Does it mean that he is out of Iraq, but he’s under US supervision?

We have no control over him. As the occupying force, according to UN resolutions, we are responsible for the MKO in Iraq. This only applies about the MKO.

Except this, we consider it a terrorist organization and like other terrorist groups such as PKK, Hamas, Hizballah and many others in the Middle East we oppose this organization. We don’t support it.

– What you said about the MKO means that changing Iranian regime is not on the agenda for the US?

What we observe is not to interfere in Iran’s internal affairs. This is related to the people of Iran. Changing regime is related to the people of Iran who would decide about its time. I hope democratic processes would let them do so. For instance, in the upcoming elections which we think is not healthy but we hope it could allow people to have a role in their future, even if limited.

Radio Farda, December 13, 2006

December 18, 2006 0 comment

Former members of the MEK

Paris Meeting

Former members of the MKO have published the names of nearly 100 victims in the MKO: interview with a former member

Now the former members of the MKO in Paris have published a pamphlet containing the names and details of nearly 100 members who they claim were killed by the MKO- under torture, by hanging, forced to commit suicide or had suspicious deaths.

Karim Haghi, former member of the MKO, said to Radio Farda: "the names have been gathered in a pamphlet, which was published in both Farsi and French by Iran-Peyvand Association."

Former members and families of MKO commemorated the victims of internal suppression in MKO on 8th of April. We have decided to hold the ceremonies annually and commemorate those who were killed innocently and in loneliness," he added.

Ali Sajjadi (Radio Farda): in the final days of Saddam Hussein rulership in Iraq, prisons of Mojahedin-e Khalq organization in Iraq were inspected by humanitarian groups and some reports were published on the violation of human rights inside the group. Now, a number of former members of the MKO have published the names of nearly 100 members who were allegedly killed under the torture of MKO, died in suspicious cases, or were forced to commit suicide. Karim Haghi, former member of MKO, talked to Radio Farda and gave explanation about the publication of the victims’ names:

Karim Haghi: several years ago, we started efforts to gather the names and details of those members who were killed or executed (or died in suspicious cases) inside the MKO due to their opposition and protest to the policies of the group. We could collect the names of nearly 100 members. The pamphlet containing these names was published in Farsi and French last week by Iran-Peyvand Association. The pamphlet presents the names, some with photos, of the victims and how they were killed. Of course, the list is not complete and reflects only a small part of those who were killed due to MKO’s internal suppression. These people were killed in different ways. Some of our friends died under the torture of Mojahedin in Iraq. Some of them were delivered to Iraqis and were executed by Baathists. Some were killed in suspicious cases; the MKO claims they committed suicide or due to friendly fire. Others include those who could escape the hell of Rajavi in Iraq and get to Europe but committed suicide because of psychological pressure and pain of MKO’s tortures. Former members and families of MKO commemorated the victims of internal suppression in MKO on 8th of April. We have decided to hold the ceremonies annually and commemorate those who were killed innocently and in loneliness. We want to keep their memory alive and try to pursue their cases through humanitarian communities. This issue is humanitarian rather than political.

Radio Farda

April 20, 2006 0 comment

Former members of the MEK

Abbaslou; Interview with Radio Farda

According to the news agencies, Bulgarian forces have taken the control of Camp Ashraf, 60 miles north of Baghdad, since a week ago. This camp houses nearly 2000 MKO remnants in Iraq who have been supervised by Americans after Iraq war. Last week, a former member of the MKO, Mohsen Abbaslou who has escaped from Iraq, took part in a press conference and talked about difficult situation of MKO remnants in Camp Ashraf and the violation of human rights by this organization.

In an interview with Radio Farda’s Ali Sajjadi, he referred to his membership in the MKO and said: "if a window is opened to the outside world, all MKO members would leave and 100 would barely remain."

MKO announced that Mr. Abbaslou has never been a member of the organization and that he had been expelled to the US-run camp (next to Camp Ashraf). State Department lists MKO as a FTO.

"Remaining members in MKO camp have no hope for future," Abbaslou says.

Ali Sajjadi (Radio Farda): First, I asked Mr. Abbaslou about the history of his cooperation with the Mojahedin-e Khalq organization.

Abbaslou: I was the supporter of MKO inside Iran for nearly 10 years until Afghanistan was freed by US-led coalition when the MKO pressed me to go to Iraq to continue my campaigns there; so, I went to Iraq in June 2002 and joined the MKO. Nearly ten months after the fall of Saddam Hussein, I was still in the organization. In January of 2004, after 45 days of hunger strike and being beaten by the MKO, they sent me to US-run Camp (TIPF) and on July 6th I and four of my friends escaped from US-run camp and Iraq to Europe.

Sajjadi: What about your differences with the MKO in Iraq?

Abbaslou: I joined the MKO with the goal of fighting dictatorship and achieving freedom, democracy and human rights. Unfortunately, since the first day I entered the organization, I understood that the organization was clearly much different from what it advertised. I witnessed violation of human rights on daily basis, politically, organizationally and individually. They forced us to do what we didn’t like. They forced members to divorce their spouses; we had no contact with our families and there was no access to free media and press; everything was under censorship. Most of the forces there had been taken to the camp by promises of a good job, life and.. These convinced me to leave the organization. Every week, I wrote requests for leaving and they always refused. Now, they have announced that "we expelled him from the organization after 5 months". This is not true. I was on hunger strike for 45 days. I didn’t eat for a week and after 45 days of hunger strike, beating me hard and a week of solitary confinement, they agreed to let me go.

Sajjadi: How’s the situation of MKO, particularly after Iraq war and the presence of coalition forces in Iraq?

Abbaslou: The presence of coalition forces in Iraq was a window and I really thank them. Nearly 600 members left the organization and joined the US-run camp; some others escape the MKO’s camp and went directly to Europe and I saw some of them here in Europe; others joined the US camp. But the violation of human rights continues despite the presence of coalition. I myself was beaten by MKO officials and people like Mashrouf Dianati and Behrooz Mohammed Khojini. That was ordered by Vajiheh Karbalayee and Mahnaz Shahnazi. After the coalition forces took control of Iraq, they beat my friends Faramarz and broke the teeth of Ali Dehghani. They thrashed a man called Atta in the middle of the camp and in front of other members. Another member, Mahmoud Moshtaghi was forced to set himself on fire because he was under pressure to divorce his wife; this still continues despite the presence of coalition forces in Iraq. Coalition forces are outside Camp Ashraf and have no control over the internal affairs. The problems of this cult continue and therefore human rights and freedom are violated.

Sajjadi: How many are there now in the camp?

Abbaslou: there must be nearly two thousand members or so in the camp of Mojahedin. When I was in US camp, there remained 250 out of 600 who had defected; others had gone to Iran or had to go to Iran.

Sajjadi: What do they do?

Abbaslou: Nothing. The situation is disappointing. The morale is low. They have to work for the MKO with no rewards. They have no hope for future but I want to tell them that we are pursuing their case here. We try to press human rights groups to find a way for our friends there. The situation is far better for those in US-run camp. They are free, they are in touch with their families and hereby I say to them that "don’t worry and keep your morale."

Sajjadi: You said the organization forced them to work without rewarding them?!

Abbaslou: According to the rules of the cult, the time of these members has been pre-planned for 24 hours of the day. From the time they wake up in the morning they have to work in farm, buildings, road making, kitchen, sanitary duties and;MKO officials try to make them tired so that they don’t think of other things.

Sajjadi: Mr. Abbaslou said that 100 members would reluctantly remain in Camp Ashraf if a window is opened to the outside world. After Mr. Abbaslou’s press conference in Paris, MKO released a statement claiming that Abbaslou has never been in the MKO and after 5 months of joining the MKO he had been deported to US-run camp in 2002. US State Department lists the MKO as a foreign terrorist organization.

Radio Farda

March 16, 2006 0 comment