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Camp Ashraf 3

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Camp Ashraf 3
People's Mujahedin of Iran Camp
An aerial view of Ashraf-3 during a ceremony.
An aerial view of Ashraf-3 during a ceremony.
Coordinates: 41°25′47″N 19°34′34″E / 41.42961422872088°N 19.576240813335183°E / 41.42961422872088; 19.576240813335183

Camp Ashraf 3 serves as the current headquarters of the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran, located in Manëz, Durrës County, Albania.[1][2] The camp lies in an area between Tirana and the coastal city of Durrës.[3] In 2013, following the closure of Camp Liberty, members of the Mojahedin organization were transferred to various European countries, predominantly Albania, for humanitarian reasons.[4][5]

History

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In 2013, the Albanian authorities agreed to a request from the United States to accept approximately 3,000 members of the People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran (MEK).[6][7][8] The camp was constructed 15 miles west of Tirana, spanning 34 hectares of farmland.[9][10]

Albania did not grant refugee status to the residents of the camp. The United Nations provided a monthly stipend of 30,000 LEK, which expired in 2018.[9] U.S. Republican Senator John McCain stated, "Given the history of the Iranian regime’s brutal crackdown on these residents," the MEK should be granted international protection under the 1951 Geneva Convention.[11]

On 13 July 2019, the "120 Years of Struggle for Freedom in Iran" conference was held at the MEK camp in Albania. Former U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman delivered a speech at the event.[12]

Since 2013, the People's Mojahedin has organized meetings and invited notable figures such as former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. [13][14] Rudy Giuliani expressed his admiration, stating that he had "the utmost respect for Albania, both the ruling party and the opposition, who, despite their political battles, agree on refugee status for these freedom fighters."[15] Mike Pence also voiced his support, describing it as a great honor to attend a MEK ceremony at Ashraf 3.[16]

Albanian police have successfully thwarted numerous planned attacks by Iranian agents targeting the camp. General Police Director Ardi Veliu stated that Albania's security institutions had uncovered an active cell of the Iranian Quds Force's foreign operations unit.[17]

Residents and daily life

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Daily activities at the camp focus on supporting the "internal resistance" movement led by dissidents in Iran. The camp features a press room where members gather information on alleged abuses by the Iranian regime, which they consider vital due to the media censorship in Iran.[18] The camp also includes a gym, a small cafeteria, a museum showcasing the MEK’s history, and a recording studio used to produce anti-regime songs and music videos for release on Iranian social media.[10][19]

In February 2020, Patrick Kingsley, a journalist for The New York Times, interviewed Somayeh Mohammadi at the camp.[10] In 2022, AP News reported that 3,000 members reside in the MEK camp near Tirana,[20] which is guarded by Albanian security forces.[14]

In 2018, Tehran correspondent Arron Merat reported that approximately 2,300 MEK members were living in the camp.[9] Merat stated that he interviewed "dozens of defectors" who alleged that MEK commanders used torture to control their members. In response, an MEK spokesperson claimed, "The individuals who are described as ‘former members’ are being used as part of a demonization campaign against the MEK."[21][9]

Raid by Albanian police

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On June 20, 2023, Albanian police conducted a controversial raid on the MEK camp, during which at least one member was killed.[22] Hundreds of police officers stormed the compound, which is typically safeguarded by a private security team to protect the civilian residents from potential terror attacks by Iranian agents.[23]

Images obtained by The Independent showed elderly men and women confronting lines of officers who sprayed them with multiple streams of chemical spray.[24][25][26]

Interior Minister Bledi Çuçi told the media that the police were "enforcing a court order" to seize devices and equipment inside the compound because the Special Prosecution had "reasonable doubts" that MEK members were engaging in political activities, which is prohibited under the terms of their agreement to stay in Albania.[27][28][29][30][31]

Iran's Intelligence Ministry officially thanked Albanian authorities for the raid, stating, "We will carry out operations abroad to chase down members of the opposition Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization."[32][33]

In 2022, Albania suffered a cyber-attack that its government and multinational technology companies attributed to the Iranian Foreign Ministry.[34] The attack was believed to be in retaliation for the MEK camp, which hosts the Iranian opposition in exile, pushing the Albanian government to suspend diplomatic relations with Iran. The Iranian Foreign Ministry denied involvement, noting that Iran had also suffered cyber-attacks from the MEK.[35]

The camp has faced scrutiny from Albanian media and opposition parties regarding the terms of the 2014 deal and the MEK's alleged activities on Albanian soil. Former head of Albanian military intelligence, Ylli Zyla, accused the MEK of violating Albanian law.[9]

Some media outlets and analysts suggested that the raid was linked to U.S.-Iran negotiations.[36][37][7][38]

Aftermath

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The conflict between police and the MEK resulted in one death and 36 other camp residents being injured.[39] Muhamet Rrumbullaku, commander of the national police, stated that both MEK members and police officers were injured during the raid at the Ashraf 3 camp.[35][30] The NCRI claimed that the raid was carried out at the "behest" of the Iranian government, occurring just days after a planned rally by the group was banned in Paris for the first time. French police cited concerns over potential "disturbances to public order" and the risk of terror attacks as reasons for the ban.[40] However, a week later, a Paris court overturned the ban, allowing members to gather at Place Vauban in the French capital.[41]

References

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  1. ^ "State Police controls in Mujahedin camp result in a victim and tens of injured". Euronews. 20 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Albania severs diplomatic ties with Iran over cyber-attack". BBC News. 7 September 2022.
  3. ^ "احتمال اسکان 3000 مجاهدین خلق در آلبانی". Deutsche Welle.
  4. ^ "Albanian Police Raid Iranian Opposition MEK Camp". Iran Intl.
  5. ^ "از بغداد تا تیرانا: پایان سی سال حضور مجاهدین خلق در عراق". bbc. 13 September 2016.
  6. ^ Apnews.com. "Police raid Iranian opposition camp in Albania, seize computers".
  7. ^ a b "US Says Albania's Raid On Iranian MEK Compound Legal". June 20, 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  8. ^ Maziar Motamedi (June 21, 2023). "Why was this Iran dissident group raided in Europe?". Al-Jazeera. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  9. ^ a b c d e Merat, Arron (9 November 2018). "Terrorists, cultists – or champions of Iranian democracy? The wild wild story of the MEK". The Guardian.
  10. ^ a b c Kingsley, Patrick (16 February 2020). "Highly Secretive Iranian Rebels Are Holed Up in Albania. They Gave Us a Tour". The New York Times.
  11. ^ "Last members of Iranian Mujahedin-e-Khalq group leave Iraq for Albania". Rudaw.
  12. ^ Harounoff, Jonathan. "The White House Once Labeled Them Terrorists. Now They're Being Called Iran's Next Government". haaretz.
  13. ^ "Terror threat forces cancelation of Iranian dissidents' summit in Albania". timesofisrael.
  14. ^ a b "How Albania Ended Up in Iran's Cyber Crosshairs". foreignpolicy. 8 November 2022.
  15. ^ "In Albania, Iranian dissidents plot a revolution "Utmost respect For Albania" Says Giuliani After MEK Event". Radiofarda. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  16. ^ "Mike Pence 'Honoured' to Visit Exiled Iranian Dissidents in Albania". Balkan Insight.
  17. ^ "Albania says it foiled Iranian plot to attack exiled dissidents". Reuters. 2019-10-23. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  18. ^ "In Albania, Iranian dissidents plot a revolution". France24. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  19. ^ Masters, Jonathan. "Mujahadeen-e-Khalq (MEK)". CFR.
  20. ^ "Terror threat cancels Iranian opposition's summit in Albania". apnews. 22 July 2022.
  21. ^ "Albanian Goverment [sic] Turns Blind Eye to Human Rights Abuse in MEK Camp". Archived from the original on 2019-12-05. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  22. ^ "Briefing: Iran pledges to hunt down exiled group in overseas operations".
  23. ^ "France cancels major Iran opposition rally as Tehran's opponents face massive police raid in Albania".
  24. ^ "France cancels major Iran opposition rally as Tehran's opponents face massive police raid in Albania".
  25. ^ "albanian police raid iranian dissidents camp". VOA. 20 June 2023.
  26. ^ "Why was this Iran dissident group raided in Europe?". Aljazeera.
  27. ^ "One Dead as Albanian Police Raid Iranian Oppositionists' Compound".
  28. ^ "Albanian police raid Iranian dissidents camp".
  29. ^ "Clashes in the MEK, Fox News: The Biden administration in a precarious position, after the raid by the Albanian police". politiko.al. 2023-06-20. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  30. ^ a b "Albanian Authorities Suspect Iranian Dissidents Residing In Camp Of Several Crimes". RFE/RL's Balkan Service. Radion Free Europe. June 22, 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  31. ^ "U.S. Voices Support For Albanian Raid On Camp For Iranian Dissidents". Radiofreeeurope/Radioliberty. June 21, 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  32. ^ "Briefing: Iran pledges to hunt down exiled group in overseas operations".
  33. ^ "US Says Albania's Raid On Iranian MEK Compound Legal". June 20, 2023.
  34. ^ Semini, Llazar. "Pro-Iranian hackers likely behind cyberattack on Albania, say US analysts". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2023-07-01.
  35. ^ a b "Albanian police raid Iranian opposition camp, seize 150 computers". fox news. June 20, 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  36. ^ Weinthal, Benjamin (2023-06-24). "Was raid on Iran opposition group tied to possible new Biden-Tehran nuclear talks?". Fox News. Retrieved 2023-07-01.
  37. ^ Weinthal, Benjamin (2023-06-25). "Was Raid on Iran Opposition Group Tied to Biden-Tehran 'Mini-Agreement'?". Middle East Forum.
  38. ^ "Albania police raid exiled Iran opposition camp, 1 member killed". Middle East Monitor. 2023-06-21. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  39. ^ Albania, Euronews (2023-06-20). "State Police controls in Mujahedin camp result in a victim and tens of injured". Euronews Albania. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
  40. ^ "Iranian opposition group has few friends following Albanian police raid". Middle Easter Eye.
  41. ^ "Iran condemns MEK rally in France as support for 'terrorism'". Aljazeera.
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