Mohammad Hussein Sobhani, went to Iraq as a member of the Mojahedin-e Khalq in the early 1980s. In 1992, Sobhani was imprisoned by the MEK after he started raising questions about the leadership’s policies.
In a telephone interview with MSNBC.com, Sobhani confirmed that he was held in solitary confinement for eight-and-a-half years inside the group’s encampment in Iraq, from 1992 until 2001, when Saddam Hussein’s government was sheltering and arming the MEK.
He said he was beaten on 11 occasions with wooden sticks and leather belts. I was beaten severely for disagreeing with them, but I thought it would not last. It lasted for years, Sobhani said.
Mohammd Hussein Sobhani
He eventually was turned over to Saddam’s government and transferred to the notorious Abu-Quraib prison. In January 21, 2002 a number of 50 MKO dissident members whom were handed over to the Iraqi former dictator; Saddam Hussein by Massoud Rajavi, got released by the help of international organizations. Then he repatriated to Iran with a group of Iran-Iraq war POWs. He says he escaped from Iranian detention and made his way to Europe.
In an article on the occasion of his release from the prolonged imprisonments, Mr. Sobhani wrote:
” January 21st reminds me and others – who were prisoners of Abu Quraib, of the bitter as well as sweet memoirs of our freedom from that gruesome prison. In January 21, 2002 a number of 50 MEK dissident members whom were handed over to the Iraqi former dictator; Saddam Hussein by Massoud Rajavi, got released by the help of international organizations.
Honoring this day, I want to remind Massoud Rajavi and Mujahein-e Khalq that we do not let their treasons and crimes be forgotten….It is very bitter and regrettable to see an organization which claims to be after freedom, equality, justice, democracy and monotheistic classless society But imprisons dissent members and those who were no more willing to cooperate with the organization in solitary confinements for years and then hand them over to Saddam Hussein; the Iraqi former dictator. Saddam relatively imprisoned them at Abu Guraib prison under the name of “Mujahedin’s loan “[ Amanat-e Mojahedin ]. We, MEK dissident members, had committed no crime… “