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HomeNotizieResistenza IranianaParliamentarians, jurists question political motives behind HRW report on Iran

Parliamentarians, jurists question political motives behind HRW report on Iran

ImageThe recent report by New York-based Human Rights Watch against the main Iranian opposition group continues to draw expressions of dismay and astonishment from political and legal personalities, human rights activists, and Iranian exiles across the world. The following are excerpts of some of the letters sent to HRW and copied to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran: Paulo Casaca, Member of European Parliament and President of EP delegation to North Atlantic Parliamentary Assembly

I spent several days at Camp Ashraf and had long discussions with hundreds of members of the PMOI on the base. I was astonished when I read the recent report by HRW alleging that the PMOI violates the human rights of its members in Iraq.

I have been a member of Amnesty International for a very long time and have always had a keen interest in human rights research and investigation. With such a background, I found your report on the PMOI untenable in its methodology, unsubstantiated in its content, and suspect in its political goal.

It strikes me as a complete departure from the widely-recognized modus operandi of human rights investigators that HRW chose not to provide any opportunity for the PMOI to reply to the allegations against it. The failure to contact and seek the replies of the accused party can only be attributed to the biased position of the authors of the report.

In the European Parliament, many members have been bombarded by a string of allegations against the Iranian resistance groups, particularly the PMOI, in a manner that clearly points to an orchestrated smear campaign.

Regarding my particular case, as I have been extensively briefed by Iranian diplomats, sending me films, books and articles, I was aware of these allegations that you have now published a long time ago. Ostensibly, as I did not accept to believe their arguments, and I stopped having official phone-calls or demands for meetings, pretended dissidents of the PMOI started a harassment campaign against me and other colleagues, writing slanderous letters or sending threatening material directly to me.
In fact, I had to ask for protection from the security services of the European Parliament against these people that obviously acted as a sort of aggressive weapon of the Iranian regime foreign policy.

This very well financed campaign – sending thousands of letters, using expensing colored booklets and keeping site information where slander on PMOI exists side by side with official texts of the Iranian regime – had as one of the most impressive instruments a group using the name of "Iran Peyvand [Peywand in some writings] Association" animated by a certain "Mohammad Hussein Sobhani".

Therefore, I was particularly surprised to see a "human rights" report quoting this very same person as the first in a list of eight PMOI dissidents, with the same stories and arguments as being – not just a repetition of well known slander – but a prima facie evidence of wrongdoings of the PMOI.

Professor Steven Schneebaum, former member, Board of Directors of International Human Rights Law Group

“I served for 14 years on the Board of Directors of the International Human Rights Law Group, as it then was called and have taught, published, and lectured widely in the field of international human rights law.
I must confess that I have never before had to censure a human rights organization for procedural flaws and substantively incorrect results in its work. But I cannot conceive of how either the procedures used, or the conclusions reached, in the report on the PMOI can be justified. And the fact that something similar occurred in 1994, when HRW last reported on the PMOI, makes me suspicious that there is a hidden agenda.
… No efforts was made to interview U.S. military officials who oversaw operations at Ashraf over months at a time and who had looked into rumors about abuses at the Camp, and found not a shred of evidence to support the very charges the HRW makes.
I myself visited Camp Ashraf in early 2004. I spoke freely with many of them. I do not pretend to have expertise in interrogation, nor was that part of my mission, but I certainly observed nothing that implied to me anyone was at Ashraf against his or her will.
As an American lawyer involved in the development of human rights NGOs over 25 years, I would regretfully add this thought, which I never thought I would find myself putting on paper: I am deeply disappointed in Human Rights Watch.”

Hamid Riahi,  formerly translator for UNHCR and ICRC in Iraq

“Before my Immigration to Canada on December 14, 1988, I was living in Shomeli Refugee Camp in Iraq. At that time, for approximately two years I was translator for UNHCR and the Red Cross. When I was in Iraq, I was approached by many different organizations to join them in struggle against the bloodthirsty Iranian regime. But I did not join anyone due to my family’s financial needs. Even now I do not consider myself a political person.
“In 1987 and 1988, I translated more than 300 (at least) cases for refugees under
UNHCR and the Red Cross. I also met more than 1,000 people that came from
Mojahedeen, Kumeleh, Hezbe Domocrat, Fadaeian Khalgh and other organizations.
I had not heard even from one person that he or she had been imprisoned or tortured by Mojahedeen. Most of these refugees came out by their choice and when they came out of the umbrella of these groups, they must obey the Iraq’s laws. Of course, if the person did anything against Iraqi authorities, he would be arrested and in some cases go to Iraqi jail.
I am appalled that Human Right Watch has not contacted the Red Cross, UNHCR, translators and many other sources. How can someone claim to be independent but to prepare a report in this manner?

Morten Høglund, Member of Foreign Affairs Committee of Norwegian Parliament

Last year I had a chance to visit camp Ashraf, and I had the opportunity to meet and conduct social chat with the members of the organization. …While I was there, neither I saw any prison, nor have I heard about mistreatment of the members.
I believe that the HRW report is politically motivated, rather than being based on independent investigation. I hereby urge HRW to retract from this report.

Elizabeth Sidney, President of International Women’s Federation Against Fundamentalism and For Equality

This report is very seriously flawed in its methodology and gives every sign of being politically manipulated. Your report appears opportunistically issued to counteract the now overwhelming support for UK and Europe to withdraw the PMOI from the terrorist list. Frankly, it casts doubt on all your other work.

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