Press release
14 January 2009
European Parliament calls for the removal of PMOI from the terror list
In a resolution adopted today in the European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg, the Parliament strongly condemned the EU Council for not implementing several court decisions in favour of the Iranian main democratic opposition, the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI).
The paragraph referring to this subject is as follows:
"Parliament deplores the non-implementation by the EU of the verdict of the CFI on 12 December 2006 and 4th and 17th December 2008 and the UK Court of Appeal decision in favour of the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) on 7 May 2008."
A united Europe thrives on its democratic institutions and the rule of law, not arbitrary decision making by any one body. The fact that the Council of Ministers has scorned the Court ruling is a tragedy and threatens the inter-institutional cohesion of the Community. If one institution can so arbitrarily and effortlessly trample upon fundamental EU principles today, what can we expect for the future? Even worse, that this sad tale is the result of a decision to appease the Iranian regime is a matter for shame and embarrassment. It sets a dreadful precedent for the future and it has achieved nothing.
Now that our parliament, representing millions of our people in Europe has made its position quite clear, we once again call on the EU Council to respect the rule of law and to remove the PMOI from its terrorist list immediately.
Struan Stevenson MEP
Vice President of the EPP-ED Group
Co-Chair, Friends of a Free Iran intergroup
Paulo Casaca MEP
Co-Chair, Friends of a Free Iran intergroup
