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RESPONSE BY JUBILEE CAMPAIGN U.K TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH REPORT ON the PMOI |
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Thursday, 23 June 2005 |
 RESPONSE BY JUBILEE CAMPAIGN U.K TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH REPORT ON THE PEOPLE'S MOJAHEDIN OF IRAN
It was with surprise and disappointment that we recently learned of a
critical report published by Human Rights Watch (HRW) on the People's
Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI). The stories by supposed 'former
members' of the PMOI interviewed by HRW contained nothing new and are
highly likely to be fabrications.
It is part of the usual strategy of the Iranian government's
intelligence services to attempt to tarnish the image of its main
opposition, the PMOI, by spreading such disinformation and
unsubstantiated allegations against that organisation.
It is likely that the Iranian regime is especially keen at the present
time to try and discredit the PMOI as extensive efforts are being made
by Iranian communities around the world to have the unjust terror tag
removed from their resistance movement.
It is very disturbing that Human Rights Watch has provided a platform
for such unsubstantiated allegations against the PMOI to be spread.
Thorough corroboration of the allegations should have been sought
before they were published and HRW should have given the accused
organisation an opportunity to respond to the very serious allegations
made against it, before publishing such claims.
The report states that twelve "former members" of the PMOI living in
Europe were interviewed "by telephone" and that their accounts of
mistreatment were "credible".
But how can one ascertain the credibility or otherwise of an individual
based on a telephone call, especially when they are alleging severe
mistreatment? 1t is standard practice to conduct face to face
interviews with victims of torture, because often the torment they have
suffered is shown through their expressions as much as their words. At
the same time, notes can be made of any scars and marks left on their
body as a result of the torture they have suffered and/or medical
evidence can be obtained from them. HRW ought also to have conducted
on-site research at PMOI bases in Iraq but this was not done.
The HRW report solely relies on oral claims with no hard evidence by
people claiming to be former members of the Mojahedin. Under these
circumstances we urge HRW to withdraw its report on the PMOI. Rather
than focusing on unsubstantiated allegations against the PMOl, we hope
that HRW will concentrate its efforts on exposing the real human rights
abuses by the mullahs in Tehran.
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