NCRI- Iranians in London, Paris, Berlin, Stockholm, Geneva, and Washington staged protests in front of Iraqi embassies condemning the surrounding of Ashraf City, and imposition of restrictions and pressures dictated by the cruel clerical regime in Tehran. Protestors demanded international investigations on the main culprits of the criminal raids on Ashraf City, chanting slogans such as, “Khamenei commits crimes: Muwaffaq al-Rubaie obeys,” referring to the Iranian regime’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and the Iraqi National Security Advisor.
NCRI- Iranians in London, Paris, Berlin, Stockholm, Geneva, and Washington staged protests in front of Iraqi embassies condemning the surrounding of Ashraf City, and imposition of restrictions and pressures dictated by the cruel clerical regime in Tehran. Protestors demanded international investigations on the main culprits of the criminal raids on Ashraf City, chanting slogans such as, “Khamenei commits crimes: Muwaffaq al-Rubaie obeys,” referring to the Iranian regime’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and the Iraqi National Security Advisor.
Ashraf City is home to more than 3,500 members of the main Iranian democratic opposition, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
On Tuesday, March 17, 2009, PMOI supporters and relatives of Ashraf residents staged a protest gathering in London in front of the Iraqi embassy in England. One relative spoke on behalf of Ashraf residents’ families, saying, “At the behest of the clerical regime in Iran and in accordance with the personal orders of Muwaffaq al-Rubaie they have prevented the transport of fuel and logistics into Camp Ashraf, and so my family and the rest of residents are deprived of these materials.”
“Our activities are not indicative of a personal dispute, but rather take place in the context of aiming to guarantee Ashraf’s security and establishing freedom and democracy in our country, Iran,” he added.
“Today I ask the International Committee of the Red Cross and Amnesty International to intervene immediately and ensure the protection and security of Ashraf. The US government is obliged to ensure the security and protection of Ashraf. So long as the situation is not reverted to what it was at the end of 2008, the US will not be capable of doing this.”
He said, “I have no doubt that with Ashraf at the heart of the Iranian Resistance, freedom and democracy will soon be established in our homeland. That day is not far away.”
Also on Tuesday, in Geneva, devoted Iranians gathered in front of the Iraqi embassy. Members of Iranian communities residing in the Netherlands participated in the gathering and condemned imposition of pressures dictated by the clerical regime against Ashraf residents.
A member of the Exiled Artists Association said, “The courageous Ashraf residents signify the results of the Iranian nation’s liberation struggle against the two dictatorships of the monarchy and the clerical regime. They will not simply succumb to batons and handcuffs. They, along with the Iranian people in general, have experienced much worse than this, yet they have managed to persevere. We condemn such inhumane treatment and will not tolerate attacks against our bastion of freedom.”
Another participant from the Iranian Experts Association in the Netherlands said, “We are asking for the protection of Ashraf residents and condemn their displacement or any form of bullying toward them. We want the American government to act on the responsibilities it has committed itself to.”
The Chair of the Iranian Democratic Women Association in the Netherlands also denounced the raids against Ashraf and added that these attacks have been carried out after pressure from Khamenei, the regime’s criminal supreme leader. “We demand immediate intervention and investigations from international institutions about the main perpetrators of these crimes,” she said.
During the Netherlands protests, a delegation representing Resistance supporters and Ashraf residents’ families visited the Iraqi embassy to present their demands.
In Paris, Iranians, supporters of the Resistance, and relatives of PMOI members in Ashraf carried out a protest gathering on Tuesday across from the Iraqi embassy, deploring the Iranian regime’s plots and criminal measures against Ashraf City.
A speaker at the Paris gathering was Pierre Bercis, president of New Human Rights. He told the crowd: We achieved success in removing the PMOI from the terror list through a long and hard battle. But, today there is another battle ahead of us, which is guaranteeing the legitimate rights of the PMOI in Ashraf. We have gathered here in front of the Iraqi embassy today for precisely this reason.
The next speaker, Sid Ahmad Ghozali, former prime minister of Algeria, denounced the violation of the rights of people in Ashraf at the Paris gathering, and added: Any government failing in its responsibilities would lose credibility. Today we demand from the Iraqi government to act properly in accordance with its responsibilities with respect to Ashraf City residents.
Ms. Batoul Fakkar, a French-Algerian author said in her remarks: The issue of Ashraf is about human rights. I declare to the US government that you are responsible for the lives, rights and dignity of Ashraf City residents. The problem of Ashraf is the problem of the US government. They must act decisively to protect Ashraf City.
Monsef Marzoughi, honorary president of the Arab Human Rights Association, told the Paris gathering: The attack against Ashraf City in Iraq is a clear violation of fundamental human rights. He noted that the chief characteristic of Arabs is their hospitality, and the measure adopted today in Iraq is a clear affront and disrespect toward Arab honor and dignity.
Gilles Paruelle, former president of the Bar Association in Val d’Oise, also said: Residents of Ashraf City enjoy the status of protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention, and are in particular under the protection of the American government.
Mr. Paruelle added: In my mind, this resistance movement is exemplary. It is an example of democracy and love for freedom. We, in respect for our own belief in democracy and human rights, will protect this resistance and in particular the residents of Ashraf City.
Ayatollah Jalal Ganjei, Chair of the NCRI Committee on Religious Freedom, also spoke at the Paris event, praising the perseverance of the courageous residents of Ashraf, and congratulating them on the occasion of the upcoming Iranian New Year. He said, “The residents of Ashraf are not just those who are currently surrounded in Iraq. Even though they are at the core of this struggle, their path and ideal has been spread all over the world. Mr. Ganjei requested from all Shiite and Sunni religious leaders in Iraq to work to prevent the occurrence of such injustice, and to not allow an attack against Ashraf to be recorded in Iraq’s history at the behest of Khamenei and on the orders of former mullahs’ president Ali-Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
At the end of the Paris gathering, a number of residents in Auvers-sur-Oise read their messages of solidarity with Ashraf residents.
In Stockholm, Sweden, Iranians continued with their second day of protests in front of the Iraqi embassy against the shameful remarks by the Iraqi National Security Advisor, Muwaffaq al-Rubaie. They chanted slogans such as “Ashraf, you are our only hope, you are a thorn in the mullahs’ eyes,” “Mullahs commit crimes, al-Rubaie obeys,” and “Mullahs’ regime: Godfather of terrorism.” They also carried signs and placards, some of which contained slogans in Swedish and Farsi, saying, “Al-Rubaie wants to turn Ashraf into another Abu Ghuraib prison,” and “Decisive support for Ashraf residents prevents the occurrence of crime against humanity.”
Messages in condemnation of the recent unjust actions against Ashraf residents were read out at the Stockholm gathering on behalf of the Iran Association, Association of PMOI supporters, and the Experts Association.
On Monday, March 16, in Washington, Iranians joined others in major European and Canadian cities, gathering in front of the Iraqi embassy, to denounce the surrounding of Ashraf and beating of its residents. Families of Ashraf residents and representatives of the Iranian exile community also attended the gathering.
Fereydoun Jourak, film producer and director, addressed the US president saying, “The selfless residents of Ashraf defend the usurped rights of a great nation. The US military has been committed to ensure their security and protection even before you entered the White House. You are obliged to act in accordance with the previous government’s commitments under international law, and we request from you to act in this regard before a catastrophe takes place.”
Dr. Howard William, Bishop of New York’s Brooklyn, also addressed the gathering through the phone, supporting the demands of demonstrators, and adding: We stand with you. Residents of Ashraf must be guaranteed with protection. My heart will always be with you.
Pastor Margaret Clark, from a church in the state of New York, said in a telephone call broadcast to the participants: We want the rights of Ashraf residents to be respected. We want them to be protected and we demand an end to violation of their rights.
Demonstrators in Washington chanted English, Farsi, and Arabic slogans condemning the actions of al-Rubaie and in support of Ashraf residents’ rights. In one of their slogans, they said, “We want action: Prevent Muwaffaq al-Rubaie’s illegal measures.”
