Report on the 27th Court Session Investigating MEK Charges

The 27th court session, held on Tuesday, January 21, at Branch 11 of the Criminal Court of Tehran Province, focused on charges against 104 members of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) as well as examining the organization’s status as a legal entity. The session was presided over by Judge Amirreza Dehghani, with court advisors Morteza Turak and Amin Nasseri, prosecutor's representative Vaziri, the families of victims and their lawyers, and the defense attorneys for the accused all in attendance.

Kazemi, the plaintiffs’ lawyer, began his speech by explaining the structure of criminal organizations from a legal perspective. He argued that the MEK should be regarded as a legal entity. Highlighting that criminal groups are inherently unlawful due to their illicit nature and formation, he stated: “The very creation and existence of these groups violate the law, as they fail to meet the formal and substantive legal requirements necessary for recognition as legal entities. However, despite not adhering to these formalities, I believe that criminal groups possess legal personality and bear responsibility.”

Drawing on business laws, Kazemi concluded that the MEK can be held accountable as a legal entity, even though it has never fulfilled the legal formalities typically required for such recognition.

Next, Akbar Kabiri, a former member of the Revolutionary Guards committee, took the stand to share his testimony about the events of June 20, 1981, when the MEK launched its armed rebellion against the Iranian government. “It was a horrifying day,” Kabiri recounted. “They took to the streets and declared war. The MEK expected the people to join them and help establish their government that very day. But instead of supporting them, the people stood against them.”

Based on Kabiri’s testimony, the MEK harbored deep resentment toward the Iranian people for refusing to support them and sought revenge. “The leaders issued a direct order after June 20th, and what I’m sharing comes from the statements of MEK agents we arrested,” he explained. “They revealed that high-ranking officials in the organization had instructed them to retaliate. The plan was to assassinate anyone who appeared religious in public or displayed pictures of the late Ayatollah Khomeini and Ayatollah Beheshti in their workplace.”

Kabiri recounted some of his encounters with arrested MEK members: “We raided a basement on Motahari Street where a group of pharmacy PhD students had gathered. This location turned out to be a cyanide production lab. They would break open ampoules, seal them with double-sided tape, and hand them over to the organization, which would then distribute these cyanide bottles to its members.”

Expanding on the use of cyanide, Kabiri said: “Initially, the organization provided members with capsules, but sometimes they failed to work properly in their stomachs, and occasionally we managed to save arrested individuals by performing stomach washes. To address this, the organization began distributing cyanide ampoules instead. When arrested, members would place an ampoule in their mouths, bite down to break it, and the cyanide would enter their bloodstream directly. The organization wanted to ensure that none of its members could be captured alive.”

According to Kabiri, most of the arrested MEK members were 18- or 19-year-olds who had been brainwashed into unwavering loyalty and readiness to sacrifice their lives for the group. The detainees consistently stated that all orders came from the organization’s central leadership. They were forbidden from reading newspapers or watching television, and anyone who attempted to leave the group faced physical elimination.

Following Kabiri’s testimony, Issa Azadeh, a defected member of the MEK now living in Europe, appeared as a witness via an online video link. After taking an oath to testify truthfully, he introduced himself:
“Having lived in Europe for many years and defected from this cult, I have received multiple assassination threats. As a result, I monitor the organization closely through its media and other sources. Additionally, I stay in touch with friends who are still in Camp Ashraf 3 in Albania, so I remain informed about the group’s activities.”

Discussing the significance of the court proceedings, Azadeh stated: “The importance of this court for the MEK mercenaries and opponents of the Islamic Republic of Iran is undeniable. Maryam Qajar Azdanloo [Maryam Rajavi], as the figurehead and spokesperson of this organization, is actively working to discredit and undermine the legitimacy of this court. For this reason, this court is both historic and critical. In my view, as someone who was part of the Rajavi Cult for many years, this court is long overdue. However, its establishment is a significant step in addressing the crimes and atrocities committed by this organization.”

Azadeh, who was a member of the MEK from 1987 to 2011, explained that within the group, no one held a clear or stable organizational position. Responsibilities were assigned to individuals with the explanation that they were temporary.

Regarding torture within the organization, Azadeh revealed: “Torture is an institutionalized and permissible practice in the MEK.”

He identified Seyyed Mohammad Sadat Darbandi, also known as Adel, as the head of the torturers, trained under the supervision of Giti Givechian. Another key figure, Mir Hossein Mousavi Sigaroudi, nicknamed Agent 007 within the Rajavi organization but also referred to as Fazel, was heavily involved in torture, particularly during 1973. Other notorious torturers included Bahram Janat Sadeghi, now based in Albania, and Mahvash Sepehri, infamously known as the "Nasrin butcher" within the organization.

Azadeh continued: “Other torturers included Majid Alamiyan, Ezzati (known as Nariman), Asadollah Musana, Masoud Mazloumi, and Roqiyeh Abbasi. These individuals, among others, were responsible for horrific acts. For example, they tortured Shohreh Afagh and killed my friends within the organization. One such victim was Minoo Fathali, who once attempted to escape. Mahvash Sepehri, in a brutal act, stepped on her throat with a boot and warned everyone: ‘If anyone tries to escape, their blood will spill beside the trees.’ On Rajavi’s orders, Fathali was ultimately killed by these torturers.”

When asked by the judge if he himself had been tortured by the MEK, Azadeh recounted: “I realized that people were being taken out of the base in the middle of the night. Seyyed Mohammad Darbandi, Sigaroudi, Majid Alemian, and Bahram Janat Sadeghi would come, cover their heads with black garbage bags, gather their belongings from their wardrobes in similar bags, and take them away in Land Cruisers.”

He continued: “One night, I was called in. Sigaroudi placed a sheet of paper in front of me and demanded that I sign it. The A4 sheet stated: ‘I came here as an infiltrator from the security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran with the intention of assassinating the leader.’ After reading it, I crumpled the paper, threw it at Sigaroudi, and confronted them. They responded by stabbing me in the arm with a knife, leaving marks that remain to this day. During the scuffle, I broke two vertebrae. When I arrived in Europe, I was paralyzed and had to undergo two surgeries at a clinic in Paris. Even now, I haven’t fully recovered.”

Azadeh added: “Around 10 to 15 people attacked me that night. After an intense struggle, I fainted from the injuries. They took me to the hospital, stitched my arm, and then locked me in solitary confinement in the same condition.”

The judge asked for more details about the torture.
Azadeh explained: “When I protested their actions, they attacked me brutally. I kept asking, ‘Why are you torturing me? Am I your enemy?’ But they were simply preparing an excuse for their abuse. Presenting that paper for me to sign was just a tactic to justify their actions. They tied my hands and feet behind my back and kicked me savagely. The torture was so severe I didn’t believe I would survive to share these experiences in a court like this.”

He went on: “After I was released from solitary confinement, they moved me to a 6×4 room where about 50 people were imprisoned. In one corner, there was a small bathroom and a toilet. They gave me an army blanket to use as a bedspread.”

Azadeh also recalled: “I had a friend named Saeed Seyed Murad, who was outspoken within the organization and refused to yield to their pressure. Because of this, he was imprisoned. One day, while we were in that overcrowded room, they called Saeed. Bahram Janat Sadeghi ordered him to be blindfolded, and he was taken away. We could hear Saeed’s cries and groans, pleading for our help. Even though the MEK had soundproofed their torture rooms, his suffering was unmistakable. Hours later, four people carried Saeed back into the room, holding him by his hands and feet, and threw him onto the floor.”

The judge asked: “Who else was present when Saeed Seyed Murad was taken away with Jannat Sadeghi?”
Azadeh replied: “Asadullah Mosanni and Hassan Ezzati were with him.”

The judge asked, “What was Saeed Seyed Murad’s condition when they brought him back into the room?”
The MEK defector replied: “His entire face and eyes were blistered. They had taken our personal clothes and replaced them with prison-like uniforms. Saeed’s clothing was in tatters, and boot marks were clearly visible on his body. His back was swollen and bruised, a deep blue from the blows inflicted with cables or hoses. His head and face were so badly beaten that his entire face was swollen, with unmistakable signs of torture. He couldn’t even stand on his feet.”

Hassan Sharqi, a former prisoner of war who joined the MEK and later defected, then took the stand and swore to tell the truth. He began, “I was a cadre officer in the Iranian army and was captured as a POW in 1980. Due to a family issue, I decided not to return to Iran. Mehdi Abrishamchi and his men deceived me into staying with the MEK temporarily, promising it would only be for a few months. However, they coerced me into taking a pledge, and I ended up trapped with the organization for 24 years.”

Sharqi recounted how a daily self-criticism session led to his torture. He testified, “They accused me of trying to sabotage the organization. I responded, ‘Give me my money and expel me so I can leave.’ They had taken a large sum of money from me upon my arrival. In response, they locked me in a container for five or six days and beat me twice daily. One of the torturers was Hossein Abrishamchi, who is now dead. Another was Iraj Taleshi.”

Judge Dehghani asked, “How many times were you beaten? Did you require medical treatment? Do you have any documentation to confirm this?”
Sharqi answered: “I was beaten twice, and to this day, the soles of my feet haven’t fully healed. However, I don’t have any documentation or medical certificates. They also took about $110,000 from me, along with two gold necklaces and my wedding ring. Zahra Rajabi, one of the commanders who was later killed in Turkey, took these items from me. I’ve already filed a complaint with the Hague court regarding this.”

At the end of the session, the judge instructed the plaintiff’s lawyer to present the medical certificates and other evidence relied upon by the witnesses to the court.