The British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom on Tuesday condemned Iraq for its appalling treatment of members of the Iranian opposition who recently relocated to Camp Liberty, Baghdad, from Camp Ashraf.
This morning, Mr. Bardia Amir-Mostofian, 45, an electrical engineer and member of the main Iranian opposition group PMOI, died of cardiac arrest caused by intense fatigue after a 48-hour ordeal to overcome Iraqi obstacles to reach Camp Liberty. He was among the third group of Ashraf residents to be transferred to Camp Liberty under UN supervision.
Iraq’s government carried out an intense inspection of items belonging to the group of 400 residents from 8 am on 18 March until midday on 19 March, following which inspections of individuals began. At one point, Iraqi SWAT troops attacked the residents with electric batons. The group left Ashraf at 8.15 pm on Monday but were senselessly prevented from disembarking from their coaches in Camp Liberty until further inspections were terminated at 6.30 am on Tuesday.
An Iraqi doctor at Camp Liberty confirmed that Mr. Amir-Mostofian’s death was due to fatigue and stress caused by the appalling measures to which the residents were subjected.
Iraq’s police and military presence inside the camp has turned it into a prison and has made life unbearable for the 1,200 residents who are currently there. The Iraqi government representatives and decision makers about the camp are the same people who were involved in the 2009 and 2011 massacres in Camp Ashraf which left a total of 47 residents dead.
In condemning Iraq for its deliberate efforts to make life unbearable for Ashraf residents at the Iranian regime’s behest, the all-Party committee for Iran Freedom stresses the responsibility of the UN and the Secretary General’s Special Representative for Iraq in ensuring the wellbeing of the residents. The UN and U.S. must not turn a blind eye as Iraq violates the human rights of the residents of Ashraf and Liberty camps. They must ensure that Iraq fulfils the minimum assurances sought by the residents.
The British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom
20 March 2012
