UK

Ostracism of Mojahedin Khalq in Europe may lead to expulsion to Albania

The UK government has again rejected any possibility of Maryam Rajavi, de facto leader of the Mojahedin Khalq (MEK), entering the UK. Rajavi is currently based in France but visited Albania over several weeks earlier this year to be with her followers who are now based there.

This emphatic stance from the UK government toward Rajavi and the MEK highlights the opprobrium with which the group is viewed in parliamentary circles right across Europe. A recent report from the European Parliament also brought the continued presence of the MEK in Europe into question. The new President of France, Emmanuel Macron, has a clear choice – whether to move to close down the MEK’s headquarters in the popular tourist village of Auvers-sur-Oise and expel the members to Albania where there are no concerns for their safety, or to continue to host the controversial group, allowing Rajavi to advocate violent regime change toward Iran from the French capital.

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House of Parliament, UK, July 2017:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her policy to allow Maryam Rajavi into the UK.

In 2014 the Supreme Court upheld the Home Secretary’s decision to maintain the exclusion of Maryam Rajavi.

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July 27, 2017 0 comment

MKO Leader loses appeal at Supreme Court to get entry into UK

Parliamentarians (Lord Carlile and others) lose Maryam Rajavi court battle

Maryam Rajavi is one of the leaders of the anti-Iran terrorist group Mujahedin Khalq, or the MKO. The terrorist group has assassinated many Iranian officials and killed many other Iranian citizens since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

The MKO also joined forces with former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during his war against Iran in the 1980s and also helped Saddam in his domestic campaigns of repression in Iraq. Until 2008 it was on Europe’s terror list. But since then there’s been efforts to bring the group in from the cold. Rajavi has been banned from entering the UK. But Lord Carlile, who’s an influential member of the House of Lords, has been trying to get the ban lifted at the Supreme Court. Home Secretary Theresa May says Rajavi’s entry to the UK would not be conducive to the public good for reasons of foreign policy and in light of the need to take a firm stance against terrorism. Lawyers linked to the terrorist organization say Home Secretary’s reasons are irrelevant. But that argument has unanimously been rejected by Supreme Court judges. Critics have slammed attempts to downplay the actions of the MKO and put them forward as a democratic opposition. Critics have also accused the House of Lords of committing an illegal act by having been engaged with the terrorist organization The US, the UK and several European countries have been accused of helping and sheltring the terrorist organization. But for now, the latest attempt to get Maryam Rajavi in to Britain has failed.

Download MKO Leader loses appeal at Supreme Court to get entry into UK

November 13, 2014 0 comment

UK Hesitant about Admitting MKO Terrorists as Refugees

UK Immigration Minister Mark Harper said the country has not yet made any decision on giving asylum to the members of the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO, also known as MEK, NCRI and PMOI).

“None of the 52 residents of Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty who were previously settled in the UK have any current immigration status here,” Harper said according to a report by the Habilian Association.

“We have agreed to consider, exceptionally, their re-admission as refugees, subject to a UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) assessment of each individual to ensure that none has been complicit in acts of terrorism or other activities incompatible with refugee status,” he added.

Harper also said that the UNHCR has submitted 17 assessments to the Home Office, adding that “no decision has yet been reached”.

Earlier in July 2013, a British life peer said in an interview with Habilian Association that western European states are not at all wishful of receiving MKO members “because of their recent past history”.

“Albania has agreed to take several hundred in theory, but in practice has only accepted seventy two,” Baroness Emma Nicholson added.

The last group of MKO terrorists at Camp Ashraf, now called Camp New Iraq, was evicted by the Iraqi government on September 11 to join other members of the terrorist group in the former US-held Camp Liberty, now called Camp Hurriya, near Baghdad International Airport where they are awaiting relocation to other countries.

The MKO, founded in the 1960s, blended elements of Islamism and Stalinism and participated in the overthrow of the US-backed Shah of Iran in 1979. Ahead of the revolution, the MKO conducted attacks and assassinations against both Iranian and western targets.

The group started assassination of the citizens and officials after the revolution in a bid to take control of the newly-established Islamic Republic. It killed several of Iran’s new leaders in the early years after the revolution, including the then President, Mohammad Ali Rajayee, Prime Minister, Mohammad Javad Bahonar and the Judiciary Chief, Mohammad Hossein Beheshti who were killed in bomb attacks by the MKO members in 1981.

The group fled to Iraq in 1986, where it was protected by Saddam Hussein and where it helped the Iraqi dictator suppress Shiite and Kurd uprisings in the country.

The terrorist group joined Saddam’s army during the Iraqi imposed war on Iran (1980-1988) and helped Saddam and killed thousands of Iranian civilians and soldiers during the US-backed Iraqi imposed war on Iran.

Since the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, the group, which now adheres to a pro-free-market philosophy, has been strongly backed by neo-conservatives in the United States, who argued for the MKO to be taken off the US terror list.

The US formally removed the MKO from its list of terror organizations in early September, one week after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent the US Congress a classified communication about the move. The decision made by Clinton enabled the group to have its assets under the US jurisdiction unfrozen and do business with the American entities, the State Department said in a statement at the time.

November 3, 2013 0 comment

Britain may admit 17 Liberty residents with no links to terrorism

Menzies Campbell (North East Fife, Liberal Democrat)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 10 June 2013, Official Report, column 84W, on Iraq: Iran, what the current immigration status is of the 52 residents of Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty who are seeking resettlement in the UK.

Mark Harper (Forest of Dean, Conservative)

None of the 52 residents of Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty who were previously settled in the UK have any current immigration status here. We have agreed to consider, exceptionally, their re-admission as refugees, subject to a UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) assessment of each individual to ensure that none have been complicit in acts of terrorism or other activities incompatible with refugee status. Thus far, UNHCR have submitted 17 assessments to the Home Office. No decisions have yet been reached.

October 31, 2013 0 comment

UK condemns violence at Camp Ashraf in Iraq

Press Release Foreign and Commonwealth Office

FCO: Foreign Office Minister condemns violence at Camp Ashraf in Iraq – Alistair Burt

Foreign Office press release

Foreign Office Minister, Alistair Burt, said:

"I am appalled to hear of the violence at Camp Ashraf in Iraq, which we understand has resulted in the death of many camp residents. We condemn this utterly, and our thoughts go out to the families of the victims.

"Our Embassy in Baghdad is in close contact with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq, who are making an urgent assessment of the situation. We support their work, and call on the Government of Iraq to assist the UN fully. The Government of Iraq must also do everything necessary to ensure the safety of the residents and care for survivors, and must conduct an urgent and transparent investigation into what took place, and ensure those responsible are brought to justice."

September 3, 2013 0 comment

Debate over Camp Liberty in UK parliament

Iraq: Camp Liberty — Question

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Non-affiliated)
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent information they have concerning flooding by sewage and storm water at Camp Liberty, and whether they have made representations to the United Nations and the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq about conditions at the camp.

Baroness Warsi (Conservative)
My Lords, we are aware that parts of Camp Liberty were flooded during a recent period of heavy rainfall, as were many parts of the Baghdad area. Fortunately, this did not affect residents’ accommodation blocks. We continue to monitor the situation at Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty through the embassy in Baghdad and to raise issues with the Government of Iraq and the United Nations.

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Non-affiliated)
My Lords, is it not time that the Government made a judgment, based on first-hand evidence such as that produced by the ex-UNAMI chief Tahar Boumedra, and ignored the manipulation and dissembling by Martin Kobler on behalf of the Secretary-General of the United Nations? If the United Kingdom is to maintain its integrity and influence in the Middle East, we should be pressing for the dismissal of Herr Kobler and, indeed, be asking ourselves, with our allies, whether the present Secretary-General of the United Nations has not outlived his usefulness.

Baroness Warsi (Conservative)
Before I answer the noble Lord’s very important question, I am sure the rest of the House will want to join me in wishing him a very happy birthday.
The noble Lord raises an important point. The Secretary-General, whom I met with last week at the United Nations, is doing a very important job, with the support of the international community, in some very difficult circumstances. The specific situation in relation to Camp Liberty is that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, as part of the United Nations Assistance Mission, regularly reports about the situation in Camp Liberty and Camp Ashraf. Our own officials visited in July last year and the international community does not, at this stage, find any credible evidence to support the matters that have been raised by Mr Tahar Boumedra.

Lord Avebury (Liberal Democrat)
My Lords, considering that many of the complaints that are made by the residents of Camp Liberty and, indeed, Camp Ashraf, against the Iraqi authorities and UNAMI could be easily verified or refuted and that some have been confirmed not only by Mr Tahar Boumedra but by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, will the Government press for an inspector to be appointed by the UN Secretary-General to look into the serious allegations of ill treatment, such as denial of access to urgently needed medical treatment, which has lead to the deaths of two inmates of Camp Liberty? Since we have been aware for some time that 52 residents of Camp Liberty were formerly refugees in the United Kingdom, will my noble friend press for their immediate transfer to the UK?

Baroness Warsi (Conservative)
As my noble friend is aware, the situation in Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty is in many ways much better than that of residents in Baghdad. For example, electricity is available for 24 hours a day, as opposed to the three hours for which it is available in some parts of Baghdad. About 200 litres of water are available to residents there, when about 90 litres are available in some parts of Baghdad. My noble friend raises the very important issue of the recent death of a resident there. We share those concerns about the death of Behrooz Rahimian and have made inquiries specifically in relation to the medical assistance that he received. We are aware that there is a doctor and medical facilities on site 24 hours a day; there is also the opportunity to receive medical assistance from doctors in Baghdad. We understand that Mr Rahimian was afforded medical assistance in relation to his illness.

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Labour)
My Lords, will the Minister confirm that the new Parliament in Baghdad will be built to a British design, that UK parliamentarians, including the noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope, are out there helping to develop democracy and that the development of a democratic Government in Iraq to deal with the kind of issues raised by the noble Lord, Lord Maginnis, is the number one priority and will be supported fully by the British Government?

Baroness Warsi (Conservative)
I agree with much of what the noble Lord said. He will also be aware that this situation goes back many years. The group that lives in Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty is an organisation that originally left Iran after the Iranian revolution. Mujaheddin e Khalq, the group that is predominantly part of Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty, has its own history and record, and we must be incredibly careful about which members of that group we readmit to the United Kingdom.

Lord Dholakia (Liberal Democrat)
My Lords, does my noble friend agree that one of the problems we have is that the United Nations has not granted Camp Liberty the status of a refugee camp? It that were granted, would it not be possible to have adequate medical facilities and for water, sewerage et cetera to be resolved? At the same time, the status of Camp Ashraf could be looked at because the property of individuals is systematically being looted there, and the information the Minister has is not the information that we receive from residents of those camps.

Baroness Warsi (Conservative)
I can assure my noble friend that about 3,000 residents of Camp Ashraf have moved to Camp Liberty. It is not a refugee camp as such; it is a place where individuals are being assessed as to the countries to which they could be relocated. Four have already come to the United Kingdom, a fifth who was offered that has decided not to come and about 52 others are being considered for coming to the United Kingdom. In relation to property at Camp Ashraf, I can assure my noble friend that about 100 residents of this group remain in Camp Ashraf specifically to sell off their property.

February 9, 2013 0 comment

Camp Liberty living standards better than many Iraqis

MEK lies silenced by U.K. Government

David Anderson (Blaydon, Labour(

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the condition of residents of Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty; and what representations he has made to the Iraqi Government on that matter.

Alistair Burt (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Afghanistan/South Asia, counter terrorism/proliferation, North America, Middle East and North Africa), Foreign and Commonwealth Office; North East Bedfordshire, Conservative):

The UN visit Camp Liberty, where the majority of former residents of Camp Ashraf now live, several times a week, and report that facilities at the camp meet international humanitarian standards. For example, residents have access to electricity 24 hours a day and over 200 litres of water per person per day. This compares well to the situation for many Iraqis. I raised the situation at Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty with the Iraqi Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Human Rights in July 2012. We continue to monitor the situation at Camps Ashraf and Liberty through our embassy in Baghdad, and to raise issues with the UN and the Government of Iraq where appropriate.

February 6, 2013 0 comment

UK supports UN and GOI efforts to transfer MEK members

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Crossbench)

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 27 UK supports UN and GOI efforts to transfer MEK members February (HL15532), whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the memorandum of understanding signed by the Government of Iraq in respect of Camp Liberty infrastructure and facilities.

Lord Howell of Guildford (Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Conservative)

The memorandum of understanding governing the voluntary transfer of residents of Camp Ashraf to Camp Liberty [Temporary Transit Location] is a document between the United Nations (UN) and the Government of Iraq. It has not been made publicly available and I regret that the Government are not in a position to place a copy of this memorandum in the Library of the House.

The UN has said publicly, however, that under the terms of the memorandum of understanding, conditions at Camp Liberty[Temporary Transit Location] would meet basic humanitarian standards including: adequate accommodation; dining and food preparation facilities; hygiene infrastructure (water and sanitation); medical care; community spaces; separate accommodation and spaces for women; and facilities for religious observance. The UN conducted a thorough assessment of the conditions at the camp before the relocation of the first residents from Ashraf to Liberty [TTL]. The residents can also use contractors to further improve conditions at Camp Liberty [TTL].

Regarding access to lawyers and families, we would hope that the Government of Iraq would adhere to the undertakings we understand they have made to allow such access. With regard to personal belongings, we understand that those transferring from Camp Ashraf to Camp Liberty[TTL] would be able to take personal belongings with them. Iraqi authorities and representatives of the residents have discussed what this includes.

The UN continues to monitor the situation at Camp Liberty[TTL] on a daily basis, and officials at our embassy in Baghdad are in close touch with the UN. We continue to support the UN in its efforts to find a durable and peaceful solution to the issue of the future of the residents of Camp Ashraf.

March 8, 2012 0 comment

U.K. ready to help re integrate up to fifty MKO members

Lord Hylton (Crossbench)
U.K. ready to help re integrate up to fifty MKO members back into normal society
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the views expressed by the United Nations Special Representative for Iraq in the International Herald Tribune on 16 February, concerning the residents of Camp Ashraf, in particular regarding their permanent resettlement in third countries.

Hansard source (Citation: HL Deb, 27 February 2012, c280W)

Lord Howell of Guildford (Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Conservative)

The Government welcome the ongoing efforts of United Nations (UN) Special Representative of the Secretary-General Martin Kobler to broker a peaceful solution to the situation at Camp Ashraf. We welcome the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Government of Iraq and the UN to allow for the voluntary transfer of some residents to Camp Liberty.

The one British citizen we were aware was in Camp Ashraf has left and returned to the UK. Of the five Iranian residents of Camp Ashraf with valid UK refugee travel documents, four have left Camp Ashraf and arrived in the UK. The fifth is free to return to the UK so long as the refugee travel document remains valid. The UK has agreed to consider further the cases of the approximately 50 residents with previous residence in the UK as refugees who do not have valid refugee travel documents, subject to UNHCR (the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) conducting an assessment of their refugee status. The UK has no plans to provide resettlement opportunities for other residents of Camp Ashraf or Camp Liberty.

February 29, 2012 0 comment

Rajavi Banned to Enter UK

The UK Home Secretary barred Maryam Rajavi from coming to Britain.

According to Evining Standard, some British parliamentarians are angry at Theresa May, the Home Secretary, after she barred Maryam Rajavi from coming to Britain.

The ban was imposed on Maryam Rajavi after the Home Secretary claimed that her presence on the country’s soil might damage efforts to stop Iran obtaining nuclear weapons and put Britons in the country at risk.

Baroness Boothroyd, the former Commons Speaker, and Lord Waddington, a former Conservative home secretary, have denounced the ban as “intolerable” and are bringing a judicial review in an attempt to overturn it.

After her presence in the European Parliament, Rajavi was invited by the British peers and MPs to speak in Parliament but was refused permission to visit Britain after the Home Office ruled that it would have a “significant damaging impact on relations between the UK and Iran”.

Maryam Rajavi was originally excluded from Britain in 1997 because of her leadership role in the terrorist MKO, a group proscribed as a terrorist organization before the ban was lifted by the Britain’s Court of Appeal in 2008. Mrs May renewed the ban in October last year and again last month.

February 27, 2012 0 comment

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