Maryam Rajavi, on the third anniversary of the June 17, 2003 – Auvers-sur-Oise

We are determined to establish democracy in Iran and will continue along this path to the very end

Ladies and gentlemen,

I was just informed that today, after three years of pressures and restrictions and despite the adamant position of the investigative magistrates, the Paris Court of Appeals issued a ruling, revoking all of the unjustified restrictions that were imposed on those detained on June 17, 2003, under the pretext of judicial control.

Allow me first of all to salute my sisters and brothers who were until now deprived of coming to Auvers-sur-Oise and visiting their colleagues. I welcome you to your home.

I thank all the lawyers in the case, especially Mr. Henri Leclerc and dignified French lawyers

Today’s ruling is one to be jubilant about. Yet, it is also very painful because for three years these unjustified restrictions disrupted our legitimate and legal activities to expose the clerical regime’s atrocities.

Today’s decision once again demonstrates that the June 17 dossier is completely empty. Wherever the judiciary has addressed this case, the court has concurred that the allegations against the Iranian Resistance are baseless. We demand that this case be closed completely and referred to court expeditiously, so that it could be heard and the rest of the restrictions removed.

French remove restrictions on Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MeK)

Since day one, there was no factual and legal basis for this case. The terrorism charge was nothing more than a pretext. When the allegations reached a dead end, instead of closing the file, they raised bogus financial charges, which similar to the terrorist allegations, are without foundation. The financial records of the National Council of Resistance of Iran are completely transparent.

The terrorism charge was nothing more than a pretext,The resistance’s officials that have dealt with this case have always been prepared to testify in any court, but they have never been heard. The Iranian Resistance relies completely on the Iranian people for its financial resources. Indeed, financial independence has guaranteed the political independence of the Resistance in the past quarter century.

The June 17, 2003 raid was the by-product of the policy of appeasement and served short-term interests emanating from business contracts. It was a political miscalculation as part of a deal with the mullahs’ regime. The failure of this policy, which amounted to investing in the so-called “moderate faction” within the mullahs’ religious dictatorship, has now been proven.

The shameful June 17 raid was a doomed attempt to dismantle Iran’s democratic opposition and assist the mullahs’ regime.

In the past three years, our rights have been trampled upon on the pretext of judicial investigation:
They violated our freedom of speech;
They denied the right of many officials including myself to travel;
They banned many members and sympathizers of the Resistance from seeing each other;
They banned many members and sympathizers of the Resistance from coming to Auvers-sur-Oise;
They have seized the legitimate funds of this Resistance for the past three years, despite the fact that they initially acknowledged that the funds were clean;
Hundreds of thousands of people’s personal monies, hundreds of computers and equipment that belong to the members and sympathizers of the Resistance continue to be held.

We are determined to establish democracy in Iran and will continue along this path to the very end

Who, but the mullahs’ dictatorship benefited from these restrictions? Those who caused this great injustice must today be called upon to respond.

Why are you violating all humane and democratic values and victimizing the Iranian people only to mollify the mullahs?

Why are you trying to restrict our legitimate activities against the religious fascism ruling Iran by continuing this case?

Why are the investigations one-sided? What is the reason for your efforts to prove a baseless charge and to violate the principle of the presumption of innocence? Why has there not been a counter investigation? Is this worthy of French justice?

We share respect for human rights and the rule of law with France. For us, values which have turned France into the cradle for human rights have always been exemplary.

At this point, I find it necessary to offer my most sincere thanks to Mr. Pierre Becquet, the mayor of Auvers-sur-Oise

At this point, I find it necessary to offer my most sincere thanks to Mr. Pierre Becquet, the mayor of Auvers-sur-Oise, and the mayors of other towns in Val d’Oise, human rights personalities and the people of Auvers-sur-Oise and the Province of Val d’Oise for their unremitting support in the past three years. You were on our side in the difficult days of June 2003. This will be recorded in the history of the relations between the people of Iran and France. I identify France with the values that you embrace, and not with what happened on June 17. I identify France with equality, fraternity and liberty. This is the true visage of the people of France.

We have waged a struggle to bring about freedom. We believe in a pluralist republic based on the separation of church and state, complete gender equality, respect for individual, political and social freedoms, respect for international conventions dealing with human rights, civil liberties and women’s freedoms. We are committed to the abolition of death penalty in the future Iran.

If resistance against religious despotism for freedom is considered a crime, then I and all members and supporters of the Resistance proudly accept this crime. We are determined to establish democracy in Iran and will continue along this path to the very end.If resistance against religious despotism for freedom is considered a crime, then I and all members and supporters of the Resistance proudly accept this crime. We are determined to establish democracy in Iran and will continue along this path to the very end.

Nothing can save the clerical regime from its inevitable fall.
Three years ago, I told the juge de liberté et détentions that when I began the struggle for freedom, I expected to be imprisoned, tortured and even executed just like tens of thousands of other women and men. I never thought that I would be imprisoned in France for fighting for freedom. There, I told the prosecutor who was threatening me with imprisonment, you can incarcerate me, but you cannot stop me from fighting for freedom.

And I say today that nothing can stop the Iranian nation from attaining freedom and democracy.

And I say today, as stipulated in the covenant of human rights and citizenship, that resistance “is a natural and inalienable right.” Indeed, when oppression abounds, resistance is the raison de’être. I resist, and, therefore, I am. We resist, and, therefore, we are. Sixty-six years ago, the cry of Charles de Gaulle resonated in France: the flames of resistance will never be extinguished.

The day when the blazing flames of freedom would burn down the mullahs’ oppression in our fettered homeland is not far.

The magnificent perseverance of Iran’s freedom fighters in Ashraf City over the past three years and the increasing support for the NCRI on the international scene is the greatest testament to this reality.

I thank you.