Iranian dissidents in Iraq must be returned to Camp Ashraf

Iranian dissidents in Iraq must be returned to Camp Ashraf

In a letter to the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the International Parliamentary Campaign in Defence of Ashraf strongly condemned the slaughter today of defenceless members of the Iranian opposition in Camp Liberty, Iraq, which was carried out with at least 35 mini-Katyusha rockets, mortars and missiles. A further 60 missiles were found near the camp. Today's military attack against the unarmed civilian population constitutes a crime against humanity.

Camp Liberty is under heavy Iraqi military control, and the transfer of large quantities of artillery to the camp could not have gone unnoticed by the Iraqi authorities. The Iranian regime and Nuri al-Maliki's government are to blame for today's attack which has left six residents, including a woman, killed and more than 100 badly injured.

Instead of sending medical teams and equipment to treat the wounded, the Government of Iraq has dispatched armed SWAT forces to suppress the residents.

The International Parliamentary Campaign in Defence of Ashraf has for more than a year repeatedly reminded UNAMI chief Martin Kobler that Camp Liberty did not meet the minimum humanitarian or security needs of the residents.

We recently learnt of the existence of a January 2012 UNHCR report stating that Camp Liberty did not conform with minimum international standards and could not be endorsed as a possible transit location for the residents of Camp Ashraf. However, Mr Kobler days later falsely claimed that the camp did meet humanitarian conditions. We find it shocking and outrageous that a senior UN official would engage in fabrications on a matter which ultimately has put the lives of thousands of refugees at risk and which led to today's tragic massacre. The UN is responsible for the safety and security of the residents of both camps.

The residents of Camp Liberty must be immediately returned to Camp Ashraf, their original home for the past 26 years, which is 80 times larger than the Liberty prison camp.

The residents of both camps are under international law “protected persons” under the Fourth Geneva Convention and further entitled to UN protection until their final disposition.

ENDS

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