Defectors Asked for Rajavi’s Trial
 

Radio Farda, October 18, 2005

With the trial of Saddam Hussein, former members of Mojahedin-e Khalq organization asked for the trial of Massoud Rajavi for his role in massacring Iraqi Kurds.

In a press conference in Paris, a number of former members of the MKO asked for the trial of Massoud Rajavi, leader of MKO. Behzad Alishahi talks to Radio Farda on these charges and evidences: “The purpose of these revelations is to say that now that Saddam is on trial, Massoud Rajavi should also be tried.” Farid Suleimani, member of NCRI (linked to MEK) says: “Mr. Hoshyar Zebari testified in a court in Europe that Mojahedin-e khalq had not been involved in suppressing the people of Iraqi Kurdistan.” Javad Firoozmand, a former member of the MKO, says to Radio Farda that in 2004, Iraq’s major groups pressed charges against MKO in court (for its involvement in killing Iraqi people) but nothing was done in Human Rights communities since Iraqi Judiciary was newly established.

Mir Ali Husseini (Radio Farda): with the trial of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, Iran Peyvand Association in Paris, run by a number of former MKO members, asked for Massoud Rajavi’s trial. In a press conference held on Tuesday [18th October] in Paris, Behzad Alishahi, a former member of the MKO who left the group 14 months ago revealed MKO operations in Iraq and accused them of cooperating with Saddam Hussein’s army in massacring Iraqi Kurds.

Behzad Alishahi talked to Radio Farda about these charges and evidences which prove them: “I had a series of complaints and testimonies that I expressed. One of them was related to the issue of killing the Kurds. The purpose is to take Rajavi to the court as Saddam is being prosecuted. Another issue is related to the tortures (by MKO). I am myself a victim of such tortures and the signs of these tortures are still visible.”

Farid Suleimani, member of NCRI which is linked to MEK, responded to the claims in an interview with Radio Farda: “claims on killing the Kurds was the Iranian Intelligence Ministry and Saeed Imami dictated this to Khajeh Nouri in the US. Testimonial letter of Iraqi foreign minister Mr. Zibari (who was the head of KDP’s International Relations in 99) to a court in Europe confirms that KDP agrees that Mojahedin-e khalq had never been involved in suppressing the people of Iraq’s Kurdistan.”

Javad Firoozmand, one of the people in charge of Tuesday night’s press conference said to Radio Farda that in 2004 Iraq’s large groups filed lawsuits against the MKO early after the fall of Saddam Hussein. But nothing has been done yet since Iraq judiciary is fresh and newly-established.