Dear Mr. Anan
I am writing on behalf of the Worker-communist Party of Iran (WPI) to express our unequivocal concern regarding the tenuous situation of the People's Mujahedeen Organisation of Iran (PMOI) in Iraq and to call on the United Nations to intervene immediately to protect its members and leaders from being attacked, returned, refouled and/or extradited.
The British Embassy in Tehran has confirmed that the recent attacks on the PMOI by US forces and Kurdish nationalists have been carried out with the knowledge of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This is an explicit collaboration with one of the most oppressive and anti-human governments in the world against its opposition and is condemned. Following the attack, the Islamic Republic of Iran has asked for the extradition of senior leaders of the opposition organisation to face prosecution in Iran and fleeing PMOI members seeking protection have been denied entry into Jordan. The USA too has deemed those who surrender to USA forces as 'enemy prisoners of war' implying that they may be returned to Iran at the end of hostilities.
We, alongside the people of Iran, consider the safety of all Iranian opposition in Iraq a responsibility of the United Nations. The WPI urges the United Nations to immediately intervene to prevent the return, refoulement and or extradition of PMOI members and leaders to Iran. The PMOI's members and leadership will face capital punishment, torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment should they be returned or extradited to Iran. The return of any of the membership or leadership will be direct violation of international human rights and humanitarian norms. Moreover, all PMOI members and leadership seeking entry into Jordan must be granted entry and protection from refoulement.
The USA attack on PMOI bases is a clear attack on the Iranian opposition; the WPI calls on the United Nations to guarantee the safety of PMOI as well as all the Iranian opposition based in Iraq.
Your immediate intervention is requested.
Sincerely,
Koorosh Modarresi
Cc: Amnesty International,
Human Rights Watch and
other international human rights organisations.