IRANIAN OPPOSITION

Early day motion 516, tabled 10 December 2007 by David Drew (Labour). Signed by 149 members.

That this House welcomes the 30th November judgment of the Proscribed Organisations Appeals Commission (POAC) in the appeal brought by 35 hon. Members and Peers against the refusal of the Secretary of State for the Home Department to deproscribe the main democratic opposition to the Iranian regime, the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI); commends POAC for its careful consideration over a seven day hearing of all the evidence, which consisted of more than 15 files of documents and 20 witness statements; welcomes POAC's finding that the PMOI is not involved in terrorism and that the refusal of the Secretary of State to deproscribe the PMOI was flawed, perverse and must be set aside; and urges the Government to comply with the judgment of POAC which requires the Secretary of State to lay before Parliament as soon as possible the draft of an Order under section 3(3)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2000 removing the PMOI from the list of proscribed organisations.

Signatures by party: Labour 74, Liberal Democrat 32, Conservative 30, DUP 6, Plaid Cymru 3, Independent 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2.