Press Release by: Prof. Dr. Henk de Haan, President Dutch Group of Friends Of a Free Iran, Former chair of FAC of Dutch Second Chamber
We learned with bitter disappointment that the bodies of 52 victims of September 1, 2013 attack on Camp Ashraf were clandestinely buried. This secret burial without the presence of family members or even the UN representative who officially witnessed and signed documents so that the bodies could be transferred to a morgue in Baquba until an independent investigation is carried out, is a despicable act of the Iraqi government’s complicity in this crime against humanity and its attempts to whitewash and
cover up.
We remind the government of Iraq that, based on an agreement between the representatives of the residents of Camp Ashraf and UNAMI on 2 September 2013, the 52 bodies were to remain in Baquba Hospital until an impartial international observer will be present for autopsy.
Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki tries to eradicate all evidence of crime against humanity by mass burial of the victims at a time when an international consensus from both sides of the Atlantic has emerged in holding Iraqi government accountable for this crime.
It is clear Iraq’s National Security Adviser is responsible for massive human rights abuses in Camps Ashraf and Liberty including massacres of residents, missile attacks, prevention of medical care and food.
This recent revelation necessitates an international impartial investigation by the International Criminal Court on the Ashraf massacre, mass execution and hostage taking.
We fully back the families of the martyrs of September 1st attack who filed complaints in Iraqi judiciary to prosecute perpetrators of this crime and to get the bodies of their loved ones back.
Maliki, obviously fearful of the consequences of crimes against humanity and to pave the ground for further attacks, tries to remove all evidence that any impartial investigation will undoubtedly point to him and Khamenei as the culprits in this crime.
Dutch Group FOFI urgently stresses the need for an independent international investigation by the International Criminal Court into the massacre and hostage-taking at Camp Ashraf on 1 September and reminds the government of Iraq that burying the evidence will not hide its complicity in crime. The perpetrators should be brought to justice.