Promoting the Iranian regime’s propaganda such as calling the democratic opposition as terrorist and to accuse MEPs as supporting terrorism, is unacceptable

BRUSSELS, April, 13, 2018. The following press release was issued today by the office of Gérard Deprez MEP. Chairman of the Friends of a Free Iran in the European Parliament:

After the recent uprising in Iran senior leaders of the “Islamic Republic of Iran” such as the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, openly confessed to the role of the opposition, PMOI (or MEK) in leading the nationwide protests.

So it is not a big secret that this opposition movement would be the subject of a brutal repression in Iran and a massive misinformation campaign internationally. For several years the Iranian opposition was put in various terrorist lists in western countries at behest of Tehran. After a long legal and political fight, PMOI won all court rulings in the British High Court and the European Court of Justice and were taken off these blacklists by the EU in early 2009. A similar ruling in Washington DC compelled the US Secretary of State to remove that designation in United States in 2012. The terrorist label for years had been an instrument in the hands of the regime of Iran to suppress the opposition even outside of the country.

Iran then focused its attention to eliminate several thousand members of PMOI who were in Camps Ashraf and Liberty in Iraq. The European Parliament adopted several resolutions and Written Declarations in support of the rights of PMOI members in Iraq from 2009. After a massive international campaign, all of the Iranian dissidents were able to leave Iraq under the UN supervision and settle mainly in Albania in 2016.

This transfer and settlement was done with the full support of the Albanian government and the opposition parties. The UNHCR is routinely visiting the refugees there and all allegations of keeping people in a camp against their will is totally false and unsubstantiated. Several MEPs have visited them in Albania during the last 2 years.

So, we were quite shocked of a meeting organized on 10 April by Ms Ana Gomes and Ms Patricia Lalonde in the European Parliament titled “MEK threat in Albania,” in which misinformation was used to undermine the status of Iranian refugees in Albania. Many MEPs from different political groups co-signed a joint statement of protest on this demonization campaign against the Iranian opposition (see attached).

More shocking were statements made by these two MEPs, falsely labelling PMOI as a “terrorist organization” and accusing fellow colleagues of supporting terrorism.

This is indeed an insult to us and many of my colleagues and a clear slander and defamation. Interesting to point out that today only the Iranian regime calls this opposition as “terrorist”.

I and my colleagues who regularly gather in the European Parliament as Friends of a Free Iran informal group, have no objection to others who wish to express their different or opposing opinions regarding the ruling theocracy in Iran and its opposition. However, to repeat and promote the Iranian regime’s propaganda such as calling the democratic opposition as terrorists and to accuse us and many European politicians as supporting terrorism, is quite unacceptable.

To conclude I should add that it is highly irresponsible and immoral for elected European politicians to spread misinformation against defenceless Iranian refugees whom for years have been hunted and killed at the behest of the mullahs in Iran.

Gérard Deprez MEP

Chair, Friends of a Free Iran