TIRANA, June 30, 2023 – Albanian police have kept up their controls of anyone who enters or exits Ashraf 3 camp in Manza, which houses nearly 2,500 members of MEK, an Iranian dissident group that was given asylum in Albania several years ago at the request of the United States and the United Nations.
The police measures follow clashes that took place after the police intervened last week inside the camp, to conduct searches and seizures, implementing a decision of the Special Court against Organized Crime and Corruption. The special prosecution suspects MEK of organizing cyber attacks against Iran from their compound in Albania.
Police personnel, including those from the anti-terrorist unit, are standing at the entrance to Camp Ashraf 3, keeping a watchful eye on every movement. Residents who leave are registered by name, after they have given the reasons for their movements, and their vehicles are also subject to checks.
After many years of staying in Albania, where members of the MEK organization were received for humanitarian reasons, and the commitment of the authorities for their protection, the situation has changed significantly, since last week, after the special court approved the order of the Special Prosecutor’s Office to intervene and exercise searches in all of the camp’s areas. Residents’ resistance, especially when numerous police forces approached the server rooms, led to clashes between the law enforcement and the residents.
It is clear the Albanian government has grown less welcoming after the clashes at the camp. Prime Minister Edi Rama told an Austrian newspaper in an interview that if MEK intends to continue to use Albania to wage war on Iran, it should leave the country.
Asked by Austria’s Der Spiegel newspaper, Rama said that although the MEK refugees can still stay in Albania, they should not use Albania as a platform for their political operations.
“Our Iranian guests have repeatedly violated this agreement. Albania has no intention of being at war with the Iranian regime. Albania does not accept anyone who has abused our hospitality.”
Rama said Albania had originally agreed to the MEK camp residents as refugees because their lives were at risk.
“It was a life-saving operation for them. We opened our doors because the group, then operating from Iraq, was systematically persecuted. And we, as a friendly country, when the United States asks us for something, we feel honored,” Rama said. “We understand the anger against the regime in their country. But our country is used as a trench in a war that is not ours, it does not work! Of course, they have every right to fight for their freedom, but to do so they must leave Albania.”
Officially the authorities have said they won’t expel the more than 2,000 residents from the countries, but that they must follow Albanian rules not to engage in political activities, as per previous agreement, if they want to continue to stay.
Back to the raid, MEK representatives spoke of violence by the police, even accusing it of being responsible for the loss of the life of one of the residents. But the Albanian authorities categorically denied having used force, declaring that no one can prevent the implementation of the Court’s decision. According to the police, there were attempts to hide various materials from inside the camp, distributing film footage for this, including resistance to the police. Dozens of computers and laptops as well as numerous stationery were seized.
MEK leaders reacted with harsh language, describing the police intervention as “criminal and barbaric behavior”, which according to them was instigated by Iran, a country with which Albania severed diplomatic relations last summer, after declaring that was the mastermind behind the massive cyber attack on the country’s digital infrastructure.
The MEK also asked the United States and the UN to condemn the incident. But in fact, Washington sided with the Albanian authorities. The U.S. ambassador to Tirana, Yuri Kim, stated that “we support Albania’s right to apply its laws in its own country. There are also certain terms that apply to each type of guest, and these guests must respect them.”
The raid on Camp Ashraf 3 was ordered after investigations by the Special Prosecutor’s Office and data gathered by the police, led to strong suspicions that MEK members have used Albanian territory to carry out cyber attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran, in some different periods of time, as well as towards some institutions in the Iranian state, and even, “as members of the organization, are involved in criminal activities of terrorism and financing of terrorism.”
