Resettlement of MEK Members
Following the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the MEK’s members, who had been living in Camp Ashraf, were relocated to Camp Liberty (Hurriya) near Baghdad. In the years that followed, the U.S. and the United Nations worked to resettle MEK members in third countries, with many finding asylum in Europe. By 2016, most of the group’s members had been relocated out of Iraq.
Controversies and Allegations of Cult-Like Behavior
One of the most persistent criticisms of the MEK is the allegation that it operates as a cult. Former members and critics have accused the group’s leadership, particularly Massoud Rajavi and his wife Maryam Rajavi, of imposing extreme ideological conformity and controlling nearly every aspect of members’ lives. These accusations include enforced celibacy, separation from families,