December 09, 2008
(Excerpts of interview of Bob Filner with INTV, translated from Farsi)
In his interview with the INTV, Bob Filner, California Democratic Representative and co-chair of the bipartisan U.S. Congressional Human Rights and Democracy Caucus, welcomed the verdict by the European Court of First Instance in de-listing the PMOI and asked the State Department to pay attention to the verdicts by the British Court and the European Court of First Instance in the process of considering the PMOI’s request for being removed from the terrorist list, and remove the PMOI from the terrorist list.
Q: After the SOFA, what are the U.S. responsibilities regarding the protected persons in the Camp Ashraf as far as the Fourth Geneva Convention is concerned?
Filner: In my view, this agreement does not change anything as to the Fourth Geneva Convention that obligates the U.S. to protected those who are in Ashraf and their lives and rights must be protected. Logically it should be like this, and the political reality necessitates that. We must make sure should any event happen due to this agreement, the individuals residing in Ashraf remain under protection. We cannot allow that the Iranian government find access to them or the U.S. responsibility about their safety be interrupted.
Q: The European Court of First Instance for the third time ruled strictly to removing the PMOI from the terror list and annulling freeze of the assets. For you as the co-chair of the bipartisan U.S. Congressional Human Rights and Democracy Caucus in the U.S. Congress, what is your recommendation to the State Department considering that it is due to make its decision as to the unjust designation of the PMOI by 15 January.?
Filner: I have always believed over these years that the designation of the PMOI must be annulled and revoked. The fact that the same decision has been taken in Europe and Britain proves it and must make it easier for the State Department to abide by that. The sooner the designation is annulled is to the benefit of all of us, because the PMOI is an effective organization. They could be much more effective once out of list. We need them to make Iran a more stable and democratic country. Therefore, I hope it makes it easier for the Secretary of State to annul the designation.