Arab jurists ask UN to protect Iranian dissident refugees in Iraq

NCRI, 23 April 2013 - Arab Jurists asked the United Nations to protect members of the opposition organization the People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK) who live at Camp Liberty near Baghdad, Arabic language daily Al Sharq Al Awsat reported.
Below is excerpts of report published on April 20, 2013:
Mohammad al-Moussavi, an Iraqi activist, said that Tehran has pressured these Iranian dissidents and has endangered their lives. These opponents of the religious regime of Tehran sought refuge in Iraq during the reign of Saddam Hussein, but according to Moussavi who is the deputy director of the Regional Network for Democratic Growth and Human Rights, when a regime close to Iran gained power in Baghdad, it made the Iranian dissidents presence in Iraq “very difficult”.
Arab parties, associations, and human rights institutions called on the UN High Commission for Refugees to return about 3,000 members of PMOI/MEK to Camp Ashraf in Diyala Province near Iraq-Iran border, about one year after their transfer to Camp Liberty which is located north of Baghdad and lacks the most basic necessities of life.
About 90,000 citizens of Arab countries have signed this petition.
Moussavi who has also signed the petition said: “We call on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to intervene and protect Camp Liberty residents and take action for their return to Camp Ashraf.” He also told Al Sharq Al Awsat daily that: “In order to push the Liberty residents into a corner and endanger their lives, Iran pressures Iraq.”
The signatories of the statement and petition say: “Considering lack of safety and security at Camp Liberty, it is necessary to immediately return the residents to Camp Ashraf.”
According to this statement, distributed by the Lawyers Union for Democratic and Legal Studies and a copy of which was obtained by Al Sharq Al Awsat, 18-parties, associations, and civil and social institutions defending human rights and 88,883 citizens of 13 Arab countries including Egypt, Syria, Libya, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine, Kuwait, Qatar, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Algeria, and Yemen signed the statement.
About two months ago, Camp Liberty was the target of missile attacks by para-military forces in Iraq—that the signatories of the statement say were affiliated with the Iranian regime—which left 8 dead and 100 wounded.
Moussavi told Al Sharq Al Awsat that: “Necessary items such as hard hats and protective vests are not allowed to be brought to the camp in order to inflict higher casualties, that is to say that the officials are deliberately banning all the safety and security measures to directly participate in the massacre of PMOI/MEK by the Iranian elements in Iraq who are affiliated with Tehran regime.”
Moussavi added: “Camp Liberty lacks security fortifications and its residents have been targets of missile attacks by para-military forces affiliated with the Iranian regime before.”
Regarding the timing of the statement and the call by the Arab associations, institutions and personalities, Moussavi said: “The timing is related to the hearing at the Congress by the U.S. Secretary of State; considering that the Americans have the security situation in Iraq under their observation, and especially since they realize that the current attack on camp Liberty was planned by Iran and believe that further attacks are likely to happen against the camp, therefore we are telling the American side that these concerns are real and it is necessary to take action for protection of the lives of residents of the camp.”
Moussavi said: “Currently, there are 3,000 people at Camp Liberty, while its area is less than 500 square meters.” He said: “Camp residents are inside trailers that are easy to target, and they receive no service of any kind. They are subject to aggression and live under continuous threat.”
He stated that the goal of returning them to Ashraf—a camp where they used to reside—is to protect them from being massacred, and said: “Ashraf’s area is 36 square kilometers and after its residents were dislocated to Liberty, only 100 people stayed behind to watch the camp and prevent expropriation of their properties.”
“We call for returning the residents to Camp Ashraf, because there are strong and equipped buildings there which were built by the residents before,” he said.