Persecution Index 9: United Kingdom

Update: The PMOI won their case, the British government lost. Bartholomew's blog has more details.

Opposed to the regime in Iran is an organisation called the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran. This is a resistance operation that has the support of a number of organisations. But in the United Kingdom, this organisation, one of the few Islamic organisations that campaigns with a feminist agenda and is wholly committed to women's rights, is proscribed by the British Government. The EU is among the organisations and states that has designated it a terrorist organisation, although the European Court of Justice overturned this. The group officially renounced violence in 2001. Its political arm, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, has helped provide intelligence on Iran's nuclear activities. Iran has also denounced the organisation as un-Islamic.Why am I writing this now? Because after legal action by no fewer than 35 MPs, the UK's Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission ordered that these people be removed from the proscribed list, a list that influences directly the EU designation.  The Home Secretary has gone to the Court of Appeal to get this ruling overturned. The British Government remains convinced that these people are terrorists. Tomorrow, Wednesday, we get the result from the panel of three judges chaired by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips.

Comments

[Bartholomew]

So why no mention of why PMOI/MEK is considered rather dodgy? Try reading this.

[Mike Homfray]

Indeed.

Just because a group is on the same 'side' as you does not make it free of terrorism.

After all, the Israeli government has in recent years contained many former terrorists, and their critics argue that their methods are effectively state -sponsored terrorism based on illegal occupation.,

[Soreofhing]

You are right about Israeli terrorists (Mike Homfray).
I´m anxiously waiting for Ruth to publish the Persecution Index: Israel.
We could start with Ben Gurion and continue with hundreds of others right up to Ariel Sharon (The Butcher of Beirut).