NCRI – Text of speech by Mr. Struan Stevenson, Vice-President of the EPP-ED group at the European Parliament and Co-chair of the Friends of a Free Iran (FOFI).
He spoke in a joint meeting of members of the Jordanian Parliament and the European Parliament at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras, the Vice-President of the European Parliament. Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, was the special guest to the event.
NCRI – Text of speech by Mr. Struan Stevenson, Vice-President of the EPP-ED group at the European Parliament and Co-chair of the Friends of a Free Iran (FOFI).
He spoke in a joint meeting of members of the Jordanian Parliament and the European Parliament at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras, the Vice-President of the European Parliament. Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, was the special guest to the event.
Mr. Stevenson's remarks:
We are gathered here today in the hope that the Council will endorse and uphold the latest decision of the Court of First Instance on 4th December. This was the fourth consecutive decision of the European Courts in favour of the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI MEK). It came on top of two similar decisions by the British courts. Let us hope the latest decision will close what has been a dark chapter in EU history.
Why was the PMOI (MEK) on the terror list in the first place? Why were they forced to concentrate time, energy and vast resources on fighting for justice over many years? Whose interests were served by this sorry episode? Let me try to answer these questions.
The PMOI (MEK) were first placed on the UK terror list at the direct request of the evil, fascist Mullah's regime in Iran. The then Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, admitted in a media interview that he agreed to blacklist the PMOI (MEK) as a 'goodwill gesture' to the Mullahs. The UK, in turn, requested the inclusion of the PMOI (MEK) on the EU terror list. What did this ill-judged act of appeasement achieve? Did the Mullahs stop their nuclear enrichment programme? No, indeed they are now nearing completion of a nuclear weapon delivery system to target Israel and threaten peace on a global scale.
Did the fascist regime in Tehran improve their record on human rights? No. In fact they have hanged more people that ever, including pregnant women, children and political opponents. Their brutal brand of fascist oppression endorses torture, flogging, amputation, eye-gouging and stoning, as medieval forms of punishment.
Has Iran helped to restore peace in Iraq and the Middle East? No. On the contrary, they have funded, supplied and inflamed the Iraqi insurgency and supplied money, weapons and trained terrorists to assist Hamas and Hizbollah, fanning the flames of conflict across the Middle East.
So what has Jack Straw's craven act of appeasement achieved? Nothing. Zero.What did the EU blacklisting of the PMOI (MEK) achieve? Nothing! So why, any intelligent person might enquire, did the French Presidency leap into the void in July, eager to take the place of Britain as the key sponsor of the PMOI's blacklisting? Once again, this craven act of appeasement was aimed at maintaining lucrative contracts for French companies at the cost of denying justice for the PMOI (MEK).
Well, justice has prevailed. The rule of law has been upheld. But it has been a long and difficult struggle. Justice is not something that marches up and surrenders at your feet. It has to be fought for every inch of the way. That is why we formed the organisation "In search of justice – The European committee for de-listing the PMOI" – supported by thousands of elected parliamentarians across Europe. And justice has at last prevailed.
Let us now see the court's decision upheld and implemented. The PMOI (MEK) are not terrorists. The real terrorists are in Tehran. I call on the council to end this farce. Accept the decision of the EU courts and apologise to the people of Iran who have been the real victims of this tragedy, as every act of appeasement, every craven act of agreement to Tehran's demands, has simply emboldened the Mullahs and encouraged them to ever greater and harsher acts of oppression.
The PMOI are our friends. They are our closest allies in the fight for democracy, human rights, women's rights and an end to nuclear weapons development in Iran. Unlock their handcuffs. Open their cell doors and allow the PMOI (MEK) and their charismatic leader Mrs. Maryam Rajavi to spearhead the campaign for peace and freedom in Iran.
