PMOI accuses Baghdad of Geneva violations

United Press International
June 19, 2008

BAGHDAD, June 19 (UPI) -- An Iraqi decision to ban the People's Mujahedin of Iran and label the group a terrorist entity violates international law, a spokesman said Thursday.

The government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki this week issued a decree that labels the group, known as the MKO or PMOI, a terrorist entity and called on the removal of the group from its safe haven in the eastern city of Ashraf.

The PMOI advocates the overthrow of the Iranian regime and seeks to deter its influence in Iraq.

Baghdad said U.S. and multinational forces in Iraq should discontinue its involvement with the group and hand over all related checkpoints to Iraqi authorities. The U.S. military is accused of using PMOI as a proxy for its counter-terrorism activities in Iraq.

PMOI spokesman Mahdi Aqbaee said the government decision amounts to a violation of the Geneva Conventions, Voices of Iraq reported.

"The decree violates the principle of not using forced deportation, international laws and the international laws pertaining to the Red Cross," he said. "Threatening to deport (PMOI) personnel and handcuffing their freedom of expression can be considered a war crime."

He added the decision is an indication of Tehran's negative influence over Iraqi affairs and called on Maliki to overturn the measure.