Francois Colcombet, judge and former MP, founder of the French Judges Syndicate
The French daily La Montagne published an interview with Francois Colcombet, judge and former MP, and the founder of the French Judges Syndicate, over the removal of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran from the US terrorist list.
“The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, the main democratic opposition movement facing the mullahs’ religious regime, was removed from the US list. This is a victory and prompts true hope,” this daily wrote in its article published 21 October 2012.
“Despite vicious crackdown and repression in Iran, Iranians took to the streets once again following the fall of the country’s currency. Tehran’s Bazaar merchants, with the support of many city residents, staged a demonstration. These types of problems, one after another similar to 2009, will transform into demonstrations and protests against the regime in its entirety.
“Francois Colcombet, former Member of the National Assembly, and the founder of the French Judges Syndicate and the French Committee for a Democratic Iran, follows these issues up close.
“On the subject of the PMOI delisting from the US list he says, ‘Without a doubt this is a victory for the PMOI. In 1996, with Khatami becoming Iran’s president, the US placed the PMOI in the list of terrorist organizations to please this regime. The UK and EU followed suit with similar measures.’
“However, in all legal cases addressing the PMOI terrorist designation, the presented cases against this organization have failed and the designations have been nulled one after another. The PMOI were removed from the UK list in 2008 and the EU in 2009.
“Prior to October 2012, the PMOI were revoked from the US list. This is truly a victory of justice over common politics.
“All allegations and false reports related to the PMOI were discussed and investigated with a legal perspective, and every single one was rejected.
“Iran’s officials say this organization was behind the 2009 uprising and it has arrested and executed many of its supporters. It is the same case outside of Iran. The PMOI have gathered many allies among politicians from all parties and among human rights activists to confront the regime. The PMOI’s gatherings have always been a great success and the annual meeting in Villepinte gathered 110,000 to 120,000 Iranian exiles. Many of them are young, and they know they are the most important resistance democratic movement.”
