Camp Ashraf 3

In 2009, the responsibility of the MEK was given to the Iraqi government by the American army. It led to American and United Nations diplomats discovering a secure place to accommodate MEK. The group was accepted by Albania, after one year. “Albanian government hoped its hospitality would curry favor with Washington, according to the foreign minister between 2013 and 2019, Ditmir Bushati.” The camp was built on some fields in a valley 15 miles west of Tirana. [6] Camp Albani includes different sections, such as a gym, a small cafeteria, a museum about the M.E.K.’s history, and a recording studio for producing anti-regime songs and music videos for release on Iranian social media. [6]

Albania did not grant refugee status to the residents of the camp. The United Nations provided a monthly stipend of 30,000 LEK that expired in 2018.[7]

On 13 July 2019, the "120 Years of Struggle for Freedom Iran" conference was held at the MEK camp in Albania. Former US Senator Joe Lieberman gave speech at the conference.[8]

Since 2013, the People's Mojahedin has held meetings and invited people like former US vice president Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. [9][10]

The camp is a fortified base built on 34 hectares of farmland.[7]

The camp has faced scrutiny from Albanian media and opposition parties over the terms of the 2014 deal and the MEK's alleged activities on Albanian soil. Former head of Albanian military intelligence Ylli Zyla accused the MEK of violating Albanian law.[7]

In 2018, The Guardian reported that about 2,300 MEK members lived in the camp.[7] The APnews reported in 2022 that 3000 members live in the Tirana camp of MEK, [11] which is guarded by Albanian security forces. [10] The journalist of NYT claims to have seen only 200 people in the camp. [6]

In the camp of Tirana, it is forbidden to carry mobile phones, watches, or calendars as well as the situation at previous Mujahidin camps. SPIEGEL describes that they live "in a time capsule".[12] According to Spiegel, the members try to cut throats with knives, break hands, and gouge out eyes with fingers in their weekly exercises.[5] [12]The Iranian government believes that MEK is in charge of the assassination of 12,000 Iranians over three decades. [13]

On February 2022, Patrick Kingsley, the NYT journalist got an allowance to visit the camp. There was permission for him to interview some members privately, such as Somayeh Mohammadi. She said to him, “This is my choice,” “If I want to leave, I can leave.” Ali Safavi, the group’s main representative in Washington told him, we are not allowed to talk about Massoud Rajavi. He described that when I entered the camp, it was empty. I knew that 2500 members live there, but I saw just 200 members, during two days. They seemed to be separated from the rest or left the camp. [6]

In February 2020, 10 former members of the Mojahedin Khalq interviewed The New York Times. They mentioned that the Albanian camp of the Mojahedin Khalq set a troll farm to condemned the Iranian government. However the People's Mojahedin called them the spy of the Iranian government.[6]

According to interview of a former MEK member with The Guardian, a troll farm includes 1,000 people in the Albanian camp. He said they released pro-Rajavi and anti-Iran propaganda on Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, and newspaper comment sections in English, Farsi, and Arabic. these allegations were denied by MEK.[7]

On June 20, 2023, the Albania police raided the camp after an investigation by SPAK, due to allegations of "unsanctioned political activity" that went against the 2014 agreement between the Albanian government and the MEK. National police chief Muhamet Rrumbullaku claimed that MEK leaders were uncooperative and attempted to prevent Albanian authorities from seizing electronic devices.[15][16][17][18]