Washington, DC -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/29/2011 -- Members of Congress and senior former U.S. officials will voice support for a major rally by thousands of Iranian-Americans in solidarity with Iran's pro-democracy movement on Friday, August 26th, according to Human Rights and Democracy International.

Congressman John Lewis (D-GA), one of the keynote speakers at the Martin Luther King Memorial ceremonies, and former U.S. officials, including Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, FBI Director Louis Freeh, Senator Robert Torricelli, Rep. Patrick Kennedy, CIA Deputy Director of Clandestine Operations John Sano, and Col. Wesley Martin (Ret.), who served as Camp Ashraf commander in Iraq, will address the Friday rally.

In a joint statement, Co-chairs of the House Congressional Iran Human Rights and Democracy Caucus, Representatives Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and Bob Filner (D-CA), said, "We welcome our Iranian-American friends to Washington to join in solidarity with the people of Ashraf." They referred to the "pivotal role the Iranian people, particularly the Mujahedin-e-Khalq (PMOI/MEK) have played in the Iran uprising."

In his letter to members of the Iranian American community, Senator John Bozeman (R-AR) noted, "House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously adopted an amendment to H.R.2583" making it a policy of the United States to "urge the Iraqi government of Iraq to uphold commitments to the United States for ensuring the continued well-being of those living in Camp Ashraf and prevent their involuntary return to Iran or forcibly relocate from Camp Ashraf."

"I applaud you for gathering just steps from the Lincoln Memorial to call for transparency and respect for the rule of law," wrote Congressman Dan Lungren (R-CA). Congressman Mike Coffman (R-CO) member of House Armed Services Committee added, "I am happy to be among about 100 co-sponsors of H.Res.60. The resolution asks our government to do what the United States Court of Appeals has also suggested: to remove residents of Ashraf and the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK/PMOI) from the U.S. terror list—just as our European allies have done."

"I wish you every success during your visit to Washington… the purpose of which is to bring greater awareness to the situation of family members and friends located in Camp Ashraf, Iraq, including recent humanitarian concerns about the Camp's residents," wrote Senate Armed Services Committee member Claire McCaskill (D-MO).

http://www.hrdip.com
SOURCE Human Rights and Democracy International

RELATED LINKS
http://www.hrdip.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Washington, DC -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/25/2011 -- What: In an effort to prevent a humanitarian disaster and to unshackle Iran's democratic movement, Human Rights and Democracy International (HRDIP) will stage a rally and march to protect the rights and security of Camp Ashraf residents and call for the delisting of the main Iranian opposition movement, the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MeK). Thousands from around the United States and elsewhere will unite for the major rally outside the State Department demanding that the residents of Camp Ashraf, the besieged home of the 3,400 members of the MeK, be given the protection that they were promised by the U.S. in 2004.

When: August 26, 2011; 11am; rally and march

Where: U.S. Departmenat of State (22nd and C Sts. NW, Washington, D.C.)

Who: HRDIP and communities from across America; Speakers - former senior national security officials and current members of Congress

Why: The demonstration comes at a crucial moment as the State Department completes a court-mandated review of the MeK's status. In its judgment in July 2010, the federal court of appeals in the District of Columbia, ruled that MeK's due process rights had been violated, strongly suggesting that it be de-listed.

In a bi-partisan initiative, nearly 100 Members Congress cosponsored a resolution calling on the Secretary of State to de-list the MeK. Dozens of senior diplomatic, military, intelligence and policy officials in four U.S. administrations have also asked for the protection of the residents of Ashraf, and for the MeK's removal from the FTO list.

The participants, which include families of Camp Ashraf residents, warn of an impending massacre at Ashraf and urge the U.S. Government to abide by its commitments to ensure the protection of the residents of Ashraf by removing the MeK from the terrorist list, among other actions.

For more information contained in this release, please visit http://www.hrdip.com. (Event page: http://bit.ly/q6sbaO).

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm