Trial of MEK leaders

Judge Dehghani called on People and Albanian government to extradite the defendants of Tehran court who reside in Albania. He also asked the international bodies and other countries hosting individuals out of the 104 accused ones to take action in order to bring them to justice.

As the heading official who presides over court proceedings of the trial of the leaders and 102 high-ranking members of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), began the recently held court session by addressing the international organizations and certain countries that host the MEK leaders: “

“From this position, I plea the international organizations and some countries that host the defendants of this indictment. The people of those countries should take action and ask their governments and institutions to extradite these people and submit them to the court in order to show up in court until the decision is made and final verdict is issued for the defendants.”

“There are 104 defendants with indictments issued in the court,” he continued. “They are accused of crimes that are more than one murder. How is it that when some people are suspected of murder and the police or competent institutions are informed of their presence in their countries, but they do not take any action?”

“Now, 104 people who are accused of burning people alive and bombings,” judge Dehghani added. “shouldn’t the hosting countries take the initiative and demand their competent institutions the extradition and departure of these people from their country? so that those accused with these charges can be tried in the court? A court where the defendants have the right to freely choose a lawyer.”

The head of the court expressed hope that these governments, by prioritizing the interests and the security of their people for extraditing the defendants, just like any other accused group, to the Islamic Republic of Iran, will take measures according to their national interests.

A new round of courts on charges of 104 high-ranking members of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) as well as the group as a legal entity began yesterday, April 23rd, at the 11th Branch of the Tehran Province Criminal Court. The court was presided by Judge Dehghani and his counselors Morteza Turk and Amin Nasseri.

The judge began the session by explaining that the defendants’ lawyer has the opportunity to present his statements in the court, and the court hears private plaintiffs, their complaints and their lawyers.

Judge Dehghani addressed the international bodies and the countries that host the accused: “People of those countries themselves must be the pioneer to call their governments and the international organizations to extradite these individuals in order to attend the court until the trial is finalized and the verdicts are issued.”

According to the indictments the defendants are accused to a lot of crimes including murder, burning the victim alive, bombings and shooting against civilians. “How is it that 104 people are suspected of murder, police or competent institutions re informed of his or her presence but the hosting nation does not demand their competent institutions to extradite these individuals?”, judge Dehghani asked the audience.

He added, “I announce to the people of Albania and certain European countries that indictments have been issued and they have the right to choose lawyers to defend the allegations. It seems that they have not been informed by their hosting governments.”

The head of the court expressed hope that these governments would take actions in favor of their national interests by prioritizing their people’s security extradite the defendants of the court, like any other accused groups, to the Iranian government.

Subsequently, the Judge ordered Seyyed Maysam Hakimzadeh Hosseini, one of the lawyers of the plaintiffs, to stand before the court to present his statement.

“Given that today is the first meeting that I have had the opportunity to express defense, the text of the bill will be submitted to the court,” the lawyer told the court.

The lawyer continued, “The previous incidents have shown that there have been crimes that anyone who defines crimes would not use not a word other than that, in terms of the public conscience of the media, their task is to reflect the crimes.

As we can see today, the public conscience has been awakened about Gaza crimes, and everyone takes stand against them.”
“What happened in Iran by the MEK for the past 40 years is not less important than what we see in Gaza today,” Hakimzadeh Hosseini said, “We are dealing with people who have committed the highest level of crime and betrayal against their own country and their national interests.”

The lawyer introduced two people to the court, a researcher and a former member of the MEK in order to present their statements. Safaedin Tabraeian, the researcher is the author of a book on the MEK history. Ali Ekrami, former member of the MEK and a member of Nejat Society attended the court as an informed person.

The eighth session of the trial of commanders of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) and the group as an entity was held in Tehran. The court was chaired by Judge Dehghani in the 11th branch of the criminal court of Tehran province on Tuesday, January 30th. The court was held in two parts in the morning and in the afternoon.
Vaziri, the prosecutor’s representative read the indictments of the 90th to 105th defendants who include: Morteza Fakhar, Assadollah Faqih Dezfuli, Iraj Feiz, Parviz Karimian, Ahmad Golpaygani, Farid Mahootchi, Mehdi Madadi, Mahmood Ahmadi, Javad Ahmadi, Esmail Mortezai, Mahmood Moayeri, Roghayeh Malek Mohammadi, Hassan Nezamolmolki, Nasrin Nazari Aliabadi, Ali Hadizadeh, Allahkaram Hooshangi.

Accusations of the MEK as an entity

15 charges were read aloud to accuse the Mujahedin Khalq organization as an entity. According to the court the MEK has been the instigator of a large number of crimes that has led to intimidation, insecurity, injury and death of civilians.
The crimes have been committed by the MEK’s agents to disrupt national security of Iranians from 1979 until now inside Iran, from Iraq, France and Albania.
Instigating intelligence cooperation in organized espionage with the foreign and hostile government of the Iraqi Baath regime in order to damage national security, especially during the 8 years of war imposed by former Iraqi dictator on Iran.
According to the court, numerous organized kidnappings combined with torture, physical and mental harassment were instigated by the MEK as an entity. They include intentional destruction, setting fire on people’s property, public property, theft of public property, armed robbery of public and private properties and organized terrorist acts leading to assault and intentional killing of people, airplane hijacking, propaganda activity and publication of lies and financing of terrorism.

Maryam and Massoud Rajavi’s accusations

The accusations of Massoud and Maryam Rajavi as the second and third defendants of the trial were also read aloud for the audience. The leadership, command, planning, design, facilitating and direction of the extensive and criminal actions of the organized and coherent group, MEK.
The Rajavis’ charges include: Fighting through cooperation with the hostile foreign government (Baath regime of Iraq), commanding and participating in military-terrorist operations known as Aftab, Chelcheragh, Forough Javidan, Marwarid, cross border operations known as patrolling and clearing the way for the lives of people, intimidating them and creating insecurity in Iran, collusion and espionage against the internal and external security of the country and against people’s lives and property, including terrorist operations and organized actions for street riots…Massoud Rajavi is accused of participation in the hijacking of Boeing 707 on August 6, 1981.

101 other defendants of the court

Then the accusations of 101 accused members and commanders of the MEK were read aloud in detail. The crimes they have committed briefly include murder, robbery, torture, acts of terror, inciting riots and creating insecurity. Separate accusations were presented for Mehdi Abrishamchi, Mehdi Baraee, Farhad Olfat, Mahmood Fakharzadeh, Alireza Bahrami.

The reasons for persecution of the group and its commanders

Some of the reasons are the followings: Complaints of private complainants whose names were read in the court, reports of general and special justice officials (21 reports) focusing on the crimes committed by the MEK and its agents, confessions of the accused ones in speeches, and public and private meetings of MEK, claiming the responsibility of the crimes by the MEK, statements of other arrested defendants regarding the group and its commanders, the testimonies of the witnesses who were present at the scene of the terrorist attacks, testimonies of former members of the group…
Besides, based on the words of the representative of the prosecutor, the MEK and 104 of its commanders are now brought to justice because they started an illegitimate armed struggle against a legally established government. They killed 17 thousand of Iranian people, including children and women, and several of the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran including President Rajai and his prime minister Bahonar. Saddam Hussein sponsored the MEK financially and logistically to form its private army which was called National Liberation Army by the group.

Why the MEK is considered a terrorist group?

The prosecutor’s representative said, “Terrorist acts are realized when they are intentional and related to an individual or collective action and have the goal of severely disrupting public order by creating terror, which is realized in the context of the following crimes: Deliberate damage to the life and dignity of people, extortion, theft, torture and brutal acts, violence leading to death, amputation or permanent disability, kidnapping or imprisoning people, as well as hijacking a plane, stealing a ship or any other means of transportation, money laundering. , disabling as well as computer crimes, violation of freedom of movement, manufacturing, selling, storing, transporting or maintaining war machines, lethal and explosive weapons, any type of crime using bombs, grenades, rockets, automatic weapons, letter or explosive package under individual or collective action to cause serious disturbance of public order through terror. Financing terror acts by providing, collecting, or managing assets, cash, or providing recommendations for this purpose with the intent of acquiring these assets and cash are regarded as works of terrorist groups. All assets or a part of it are used in order to commit terrorist acts.”

According to Vaziri, significant number of armed actions of the MEK, such as mortar attacks in residential areas, an attack on the Faculty of Literature in Ahvaz, and bombing a bus in Shiraz, in public places, places of education and training of young people for launching terror acts in residential areas of civilians, as well as public vehicles that has been carried out by the group has seriously disrupted the public order, it has caused intimidation and terror and the deliberate killing of ordinary citizens of the society. Therefore, these few cases will be enough to prove the terrorist nature of the Mujahedin-e Khalq organization and its commanders.