Mohammad Reza Torabi nicknamed “Ray”, former child soldier of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) has recently published a thread in his personal account on X social network on his life experience with the group. He was a member of the MEK’s army for 18 years. He left the group after it was relocated in Albania.
Ray’s father Ghorbani Ali Torabi was killed under torture in the MEK’s prison. His mother Zahra Seraj is still a member of the Cult of Rajavi. She is not willing to contact Ray because she considers him a traitor who has left the group and speaks out against it.
Ray Torabi’s thread on X published on April 28th, 2024
This is Ray Torabi’s thread on X published on April 28th, 2024:
There has been a lot of discussion recently about the fate of some 1000 MEK children who were separated from their parents during the Gulf War and sent to European and American countries. As one of those children, I want to clarify some facts.
These children came to Iraq with their parents in the 1980s, specifically after the establishment of the National Liberation Army (MEK’s armed wing). Their parents joined MEK military units and the children were kept in daycares and boarding houses in Camp Ashraf.
During the week the children were kept in daycare and the parents received military training in separate units. Parents picked up their kids from the boarding house on Friday and stayed with them in housing units until Sunday morning when they were dropped off again.
With the start of MEK’s internal “ideological revolution” and after the implementation of mandatory divorces within its ranks, families were separated. The father would get the child one weekend and the mother the next.
With the start of the Gulf War and upon Massoud Rajavi’s orders, the children were separated from their parents and moved to Jordan. We were kept in different hotels until MEK found families for us abroad. Many of the children were moved to families of MEK supporters.
Some went to MEK boarding houses in European countries. These boarding houses had terrible conditions such as lack of food and physical abuse by MEK caretakers. Most of the children were smuggled into these countries illegally. I was 9 when I was smuggled to Canada.
Many, like myself, later faced complicated legal issues for immigration status because of this. I want to note that there was little to no supervision from MEK and many of us children were subjected to physical, mental, and sexual abuse in the families where we were placed.
In some cases MEK tried to cover up these crimes and silence the children. In the late 90s MEK emotionally manipulated and made hollow promises to some of the children, including myself, to move back to Iraq to be with our parents again. I will also write about this later.
It’s not easy to talk about the pain and suffering we’ve experienced. Hence you don’t hear from the others. Many of the children started new chapters in their lives, forgot their past, and moved on. Most of them don’t want anyone to know they were affiliated with the MEK.
Do you know how difficult it is for me to publicly say I was sexually abused in my childhood in Camp Ashraf and then in MEK headquarters in Canada by an MEK members/supporters? The other children don’t want to talk about these things and I respect their right not to.
There are very few of us who speak openly. I’ve overcome my past. I don’t feel guilty for what happened to me. I hold the MEK responsible. I found the courage to speak up and share the truth about my past openly and confidently.
The people of Iran must understand the crimes, deception, and evilness of the MEK. I have learned in the past 7 years, since leaving the MEK, that people only have a shallow understanding of this cult. I will do my best to reveal their lies, deception and evil.
I’m not afraid to speak up because I only speak the truth. Those who read my words will feel it with their hearts. And I am willing to testify every word I write in any court.