Thousands of Iranians demonstrated in the German city...

Thousands of Iranians demonstrated in the German city of Dortmund in support of the leader of the Iranian opposition movement, the People's Mujahedeen, under investigation in France over alleged terrorist links.
The protesters - estimated at 20,000 by organisers - also voiced support for Iranian student opposition and better rights of Iranian refugees, in particular 27 Iranians whose refugee status has been withdrawn by German authorities, the People's Mujahedeen said in a statement.
An appeal from the movement's leader, Maryam Rajavi, was read out to the crowd, calling for a boycott of elections by "Iran's clerical regime" and a referendum under United Nations auspices aimed at changing "the theocratic system".
United States Senator Sam Brownback, a member of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, addressed the crowd live via a videolink from the United States.
Brownback, a Republican, and Democrat Brad Sherman have submitted two bills to Congress seeking stronger support for the political opposition in Iran and tighter economic sanctions against Tehran, already subject to an almost complete US trade embargo.
The People's Mujahedeen is classified as a "terrorist organisation" by the United States, the European Union and Iran .
HOC General Secretary Sergio D'Elia, called on the EU and the Italian government as current-term president, to ake the People's Mujahedeen off the list of terrorist organisations.
"I'm perfectly aware that the Mujahedeen are not a non-violent organisation, but they cannor be considered on par with organisations like Al Qaeda," D'Elia told the rally.
Rajavi also denied any wrong-doing in France. She and 16 other people were placed under judicial investigation for alleged links to a "terrorist" organisation and for funding "terrorism" after French police launched a major crackdown on the People's Mujahedden, whose European headquarters are near Paris.
Rajavi was one of more than 160 people initially detained in the police raids in June. Her arrest outraged her followers, prompting self-immolation protests in which several died.
The Iranian opposition leader and the other 16 have since been released on bail.