UN rapporteur demands investigation into massacre of Iranian MEK in Iraq

               

NCRI - A full investigation must be carried out into the September 1, 2013, massacre of 52 members of the People's Mojaheidn Organization of Iran at Camp Ashraf, and the abduction of seven residents, a leading member of Advisory Committee of the UN Human Rights Council has demanded.

Jean Ziegler, Deputy of the Advisory Committee of the UN Human Rights Council, told a conference in Geneva: "On 9 December, 2013, six United Nations special procedures mandate holders including myself issued a press release and appeal demanding an investigation of the massacres of the 52 residents of camp Ashraf and enforced disappearance of of 7 residents."

"An independent investigation remains a priority, which I reaffirm today. Barely two weeks before the first anniversary of the massacre a year ago," he added.

He also praised Maryam Rajavi's leadership of the Iranian Resistance, adding: "I salute your perseverance and express here my solidarity as the United Nations rapporteur with all victims in particular with the victims of the massacres not only in Ashraf and camp Liberty but before.

"I reaffirm the right of the victims to truth to an independent investigation of the massacres and disappearances and the right to justice."

Iraqi forces under the command of Nouri al-Maliki massacred PMOI membersat Camp Ashraf on September 1 last year at the behest of the Iranian regime.

The August 13 conference in which Mrs Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the Iranian Resistance was keynote speaker, was chaired by Ms. Anne-Marie Lizin, Honorary President of the Belgian Senate.

Other speakers included: Professor Alfred Zayas, United Nations Special Rapporteur on democratic and equitable order; Remi Pagani, member of the Geneva City Council; Geoffrey Robertson, prominent British lawyer and First President of UN Special Court on War Crimes for Sierra Leon and member of the UN Justice Council; Ms. Najat al-Astal, Member of Parliament from Palestine; members of a Syrian coalition delegation including Mohammad Kadah, Deputy Chair of the Syrian National Coalition; Dr. Haitham Maleh, president of the legal section; Sabah al-Mukhtar, prominent Iraqi lawyer and president of the Arab lawyers Union in the UK; Ms. Julie Ward, Member of European Parliament; Peter Mathews, Member of Parliament from Ireland; Christiane Perregaux, co-president of the Constituent Assembly of the Council of Geneva; Dr. Tahar Boumedra, former advisor to the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Iraq and former chief of the Human Rights section of UNAMI; and Ashraf Al-Shabrawi, former member of the Egyptian parliament.