BENJAMIN Wakhili has not had any water or food for two days. He and four other members of Iran’s opposition, the People’s Mujahedin, were yesterday sitting in the scorching summer heat outside the French embassy in Nicosia on hunger strike in protest at the arrest of the wife of the organisation’s military commander, Massoud Rajavi, and designated “president-elect” of a future Iranian government, Maryam Rajavi.
Rajavi was arrested during a mass sweep operation of the organisation’s offices by French police and national security officers in Paris on June 18, which saw the arrest of 160 people.
His arrest sparked outrage among the Mujahedin and two people have died so far after torching themselves outside French interests around the world.
French security officials said the operation was carried out after the People’s Mujahedin, which has been branded a terrorist organisation by the United States, the EU and Iran – appeared to be intending to turn France into its centre of operations against the Tehran government after losing its bases in Iraq following the US-led invasion.
The raids were conducted according to a court order, which accused the People’s Mujahedin of “criminal association aimed at preparing terrorism acts” and of “financing a terrorist enterprise.” The People’s Mujahedin is the main armed Iranian opposition group and the military wing of an umbrella exile opposition party, the National Council of the Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
Speaking to the Cyprus Mail yesterday, Wakhili, 27, said the People’s Muhahedin were not a bunch of terrorists but people who wanted democracy in their country.
“It’s very hot today and we’ve been without water for two days, but I think this is the only thing we can do to try and get a message through to the world that we are not terrorist and Mrs Rajavi is not a terrorist,” he said.
“This woman cares about my people and about me and has to be released. Mujahedin want democracy, now we don’t have democracy. Every day the Mullahs go to the University and arrest people, they kill people and we say to them why are you like this?
“In Persia everybody has to be a Muslim, women must wear a veil and we are not allowed to practice our religion.”
On Monday, two of the demonstrators were taken to hospital suffering from dehydration, but Wakhili said he would not call of his hunger strike until Rajavi was released.
“I will stay here for as long as I can make it,” he said, “and so will my comrades.”
