Iraqi committee to suppress Ashraf prevents urgent eye surgery on two Ashraf residents for the second time
NCRI – On the orders of the committee within the Iraqi Prime Minister’s offices tasked to suppress Ashraf, Iraqi forces have stepped up restrictions on members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) in Camp Ashraf and are refusing them access to medical services. The restrictions began 20 months ago. These criminal measures are a flagrant violation of international conventions, International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law and constitute a crime against humanity. The perpetrators are liable to prosecution before international tribunals.
The latest example came on Saturday, September 25, when Iraqi forces cancelled the trip of two Ashraf residents to Baghdad to have eye surgery in hospital. All coordination had been carried out in advance with the hospital in Baghdad, the surgeons, and Dr. Amr Khaled al-Tamimi, the Iraqi director of Ashraf hospital, and there were no problems or reasons to justify the cancellation.
This is the second time that the Iraqi forces have prevented the two patients from undergoing operations despite their pressing conditions. On Monday, September 20, when they went to Baghdad hospital for their surgery and the hospital staff were ready to carry out the surgery, the commander of the Iraqi escorting team prevented the surgery from taking place and returned the pair to Ashraf.
In another inhumane measure on September 23, Iraqi forces prevented the transfer of four cancer patients to Baghdad to see specialist physicians.
The Iranian Resistance reiterates that any harm that comes about to patients in Ashraf due to the denial of access or delay in access to medical services is the responsibility of the current Iraqi government. It calls on the UN Secretary General, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, and other relevant international bodies to take urgent measures to end all restrictions on Ashraf residents in order they can have access to doctors, specialist hospitals and other medical services.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
September 26, 2010
