The Mujahadin-e Khalq [MEK], known in English as the Peoples' Mujahedin Organisation of Iran, has filed a Petition for a Writ of Mandamus,* asking the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia** to direct the Secretary of State to remove its designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation [FTO]. In 2010, the D.C. Circuit held that the Secretary had violated the Due Process rights of the MEK, in denying its application for revocation of its FTO designation, and remanded the matter, so that the Secretary could remedy the constitutional defects, but no action was taken by the Department of State.
This matter has attracted a great deal of attention, because both the United Kingdom and the European Union have delisted the MEK from terrorist status. The MEK, which opposes the current regime in Iran, disarmed in 2003, and claims that it has renounced terrorism. Its supporters and lobbyists in the United States have been pushing for deletion of its FTO status.
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* A judicial remedy in the form of an order issued to compel a government official to perform a ministerial duty correctly.
** In Re the Petition of Peoples' Mujahedin Organization of Iran, Case No.: 12-1118 (DC Cir).
This matter has attracted a great deal of attention, because both the United Kingdom and the European Union have delisted the MEK from terrorist status. The MEK, which opposes the current regime in Iran, disarmed in 2003, and claims that it has renounced terrorism. Its supporters and lobbyists in the United States have been pushing for deletion of its FTO status.
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* A judicial remedy in the form of an order issued to compel a government official to perform a ministerial duty correctly.
** In Re the Petition of Peoples' Mujahedin Organization of Iran, Case No.: 12-1118 (DC Cir).
One correction: You wrote " In December, the D.C. Circuit held that the Secretary had violated the Due Process rights of the MEK ".
ReplyDeleteIt was in July 2010 that the D.C. Circuit held it's ruling, not December 2011.