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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Iranian group wins EU court case | Iranian group wins EU court case |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A top European Union court has annulled an EU decision to freeze the funds of a prominent Iranian opposition group. | A top European Union court has annulled an EU decision to freeze the funds of a prominent Iranian opposition group. |
| The People's Mujahideen Organisation of Iran (PMOI) was put on the EU's terror blacklist in 2002, which meant the EU could bloc the group's finances. | The People's Mujahideen Organisation of Iran (PMOI) was put on the EU's terror blacklist in 2002, which meant the EU could bloc the group's finances. |
| But the Luxembourg-based Court of First Instance ruled on Thursday that the EU's decision was wrong. | But the Luxembourg-based Court of First Instance ruled on Thursday that the EU's decision was wrong. |
| The verdict follows an appeal by the group after a British court had ruled in its favour last year. | The verdict follows an appeal by the group after a British court had ruled in its favour last year. |
| Violence 'renounced' | Violence 'renounced' |
| The Court of First Instance - the EU's second-highest court - said in its ruling that the EU's "statement of reasons is manifestly insufficient to provide legal justification for continuing to freeze the PMOI's funds". | |
| It added that the EU statement was based on the UK home secretary's intentions to appeal against the British court decision of 2007. | It added that the EU statement was based on the UK home secretary's intentions to appeal against the British court decision of 2007. |
| The Luxembourg-based court also annulled an EU decision of December 2007 to keep the PMOI on its terror blacklist. | The Luxembourg-based court also annulled an EU decision of December 2007 to keep the PMOI on its terror blacklist. |
| However, the EU updated its blacklist in July - keeping the Iranian group on it - and the court is still due to rule on the PMOI appeal to be excluded from the new list. | However, the EU updated its blacklist in July - keeping the Iranian group on it - and the court is still due to rule on the PMOI appeal to be excluded from the new list. |
| The PMOI was set up in 1965, with the aim of replacing the Shah of Iran. | The PMOI was set up in 1965, with the aim of replacing the Shah of Iran. |
| The PMOI has had an armed wing operating in Iran, but the group is now based in exile. | The PMOI has had an armed wing operating in Iran, but the group is now based in exile. |
| In 2001, the group announced that it was renouncing all military activity. | In 2001, the group announced that it was renouncing all military activity. |