Sunday, December 07, 2008

Following the verdict of the European Court of First Instance which ordered the removal of the People’s Mojahedin of Iran from the EU Terror List, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi attended a press conference in Paris in which the most prominent jurists and lawyers and political personalities of France were present.

The conference was chaired by Jean-Pierre Spitzer, French expert in European affairs and one of the lawyers of PMOI in the European Court of first Instance.

Mrs. Rajavi said in her speech: “I call on the European Union to implement the ruling of the Court of First Instance immediately and respect the Iranian people’s right to resistance and democratic change. The Court’s verdict is far beyond annulling a label which was of no credit even before. The bulk of the issue is democracy and freedom in Iran for which the Iranian people have sacrificed one hundred twenty thousands of its bravest children, but some have stood against the will of Iranian people for economic deals and short-term interests and lack of understanding the nature of religious fascism, ”

Mrs. Rajavi added: “This verdict showed well that the Council of Ministers and the French government have violated the most preliminary legal procedures upon the request of the dictatorial regime ruling Iran. This verdict clearly indicated that a dossier that was formed 7 years ago in the French judicature is so much hollow; this will clarify why they are afraid of referring the file to the court after so many years; the question is for how long the European countries continue this incorrect vicious circle that has caused shame for the European people. Fortunately the French people, personalities and parliamentarians including the majority of French Parliament have sided the Iranian Resistance; I appreciate them and great number of French people who supported us”.

Mrs. Rajavi added: “The time has come that the West respects the Iranian people’s will for democratic change instead of unfruitful hoping for change of behavior of a religious fascism; The time has come that the West observes the rule of law, and by removing all restrictions from this Resistance, put an end on its gravest mistake regarding Iran. I call the European Union to end this designation which has a flagrant enmity against the Iranian people’s will.”

In addition to French prominent lawyers, a number of personalities were also present in the conference and delivered speeches. Some of them were:
Jean-Pierre Berart, member of French Parliament
Alain Vivien, former Consulting Minister in French government
Sid Ahmed Ghozali, former prime minister of Algeria
Ms. Anissa Boumedienne, researcher, expert on Islam, and former Algerian First Lady during the presidency of Houari Boumedienne
Yves Bonnet, former Chief of the French Counter-terrorism Organization