NCRI – On April 25, 2009, a memorial service for the late Lord Slynn of Hadley was held at the headquarters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
The Saturday memorial service for the honorable member of the House of Lords, prominent former law lord and former judge at the European Court of Justice, took place at NCRI’s headquarters in the town of Auvers-Sur-Oise, located in the northwest of Paris. Present at the service were the Iranian Resistance’s President-elect, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, Lady Slynn, family members, and prominent figures from France, the UK, Canada, and Iranian Resistance members and supporters.
NCRI – On April 25, 2009, a memorial service for the late Lord Slynn of Hadley was held at the headquarters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
The Saturday memorial service for the honorable member of the House of Lords, prominent former law lord and former judge at the European Court of Justice, took place at NCRI’s headquarters in the town of Auvers-Sur-Oise, located in the northwest of Paris. Present at the service were the Iranian Resistance’s President-elect, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, Lady Slynn, family members, and prominent figures from France, the UK, Canada, and Iranian Resistance members and supporters.
The long list of participants also included Edith Cresson, former French Prime Minister, Ms. Anisseh Boumedienne, Algeria’s first lady during the presidency of the late Houari Boumedienne, Lord Dholakia, a leading member of the British House of Lords (on behalf of both houses of the British Parliament), David Vaughan, prominent British lawyer and expert on human rights, David Mataes, jurist and well-known human rights advocate from Canada, Jean Pierre Brard, member of the French National Assembly, Alain Vivien, former French minister of state, Jean Pierre Muller, mayor of Magny en Vexin in France, Pierre Bercis, President of the French New Human Rights.
A large number of local personalities, elected officials and French citizens supporting the Iranian Resistance, as well as neighbours of Mrs. Rajavi’s residence in Auvers-sur-Oise, also attended the gathering. They were joined by Mr. Saleh Rajavi, NCRI representative in France, Ms. Dowlat Norouzi, NCRI representative in the UK, the NCRI Secretary, NCRI committee chairs and members, as well as Iranians, activists and supporters of the Resistance.
Mrs. Rajavi greeted Lord Slynn’s wife and members of his family, along with other personalities and attendees. She then expressed her condolences on behalf of the Iranian people and Resistance for the passing of Lord Slynn, describing him as one of the most honorable symbols of justice and defenders of the rule of law in the contemporary world.
The Iranian Resistance’s President-elect highlighted Lord Slynn’s humanitarian values, his highly esteemed personality and academic accomplishments, as well as his great achievements in the US and the world. She also underscored Lord Slynn’s extraordinarily significant role in defending the rights of the Iranian Resistance and the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) members in Ashraf City.
Mrs. Rajavi added: “Dr. Alejo Vidal Quadras, Vice President of the European Parliament, who made valuable contributions to the adoption of the recent EP resolution regarding the ‘humanitarian situation of Camp Ashraf residents,’ was not able to attend the service. But, on behalf of himself and all the resolution’s sponsors, he asked me to introduce this resolution in memory of Lord Slynn.”
Adopted on April 24, the said EP declaration urges the Iraqi government to respect and ensure Camp Ashraf residents’ rights.
At the gathering, Mrs. Rajavi presented Lady Slynn with a gift which had recently arrived in Paris from PMOI members in Ashraf on the occasion of Lord Slynn’s birthday.
On April 20, the funeral service for Lord Slynn was held at St. Margaret’s Church in Westminster in London. Present at the service were his wife and family, prominent members of the British Parliament, and British government officials. Also paying tribute to Lord Slynn was a delegation representing the Iranian Resistance’s President-elect headed by Ms. Dowlat Norouzi, Chair of the National Council of Resistance’s UK representative office, accompanied by a large number of Iranian supporters of the PMOI and the Iranian Resistance.
Lord Slynn was laid to rest at the family burial place in the city of Middlewich in northern England, with Lady Slynn and other relatives present, along with a delegation representing the Iranian Resistance’s President-elect.
The Daily Telegraph has called Lord Slynn a British hero for the Iranian Resistance. He led a long and vigorous legal campaign in defense of the Iranian Resistance, which eventually led to the victory of justice over politics when the PMOI was removed from the British and EU blacklists.
Lord Slynn was also influential in a campaign for ensuring the rights and legal status of Ashraf City residents in Iraq. He traveled to Ashraf on two different occasions. It was after meeting with the residents of Ashraf that he decided to begin a tireless campaign to ensure justice for the Iranian Resistance.
