The deadly terror attack on unarmed refugees at Camp Liberty has been ‘condemned without reservation’ by the Human Rights Committee of Britain’s Bar Association.
And Iraq must carry out an urgent investigation into the February 9 shelling which left six dead and 100 injured, the lawyers’ group said.
The security of Liberty residents had been violated ‘in the most egregious manner’ and real and effective guarantees for their security must be made, the BHRC said.
A statement released by BHRC chairwoman Kirsty Brimelow added: “The Bar Human Rights Committee condemns without reservation the recent missile attack on the residents of Camp Liberty.
“Over one hundred residents of Camp Liberty, unarmed Iranian refugees, suffered injuries during the attack. Some of the victims remain in critical condition.
“BHRC joins the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, who strongly condemned this attack, as did the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, who described it as ‘a despicable act of violence’.
“Guterres emphasised that the residents of Camp Liberty are asylum seekers undergoing refugee status determination process and as such are entitled to international protection.”
The BHRC said that on 11 April, 2011, it also condemned the excessive use of force by Iraq against unarmed Iranian refugees at Camp Ashraf, which was home to around 3,400 Iranian refugees, including 1,000 women.
It went on: “The residents were shot at indiscriminately and attacked by Iraqi soldiers. At least 33 Camp members were killed, including 8 women. Over 300 people were injured, 178 of whom have sustained gunshot wounds, and several dozen were in a critical condition.”
The BHRC also expressed its fears at Iraq’s decision to transform Camp Liberty, a former US base in Baghdad, into a temporary prison, the statement said.
It added: “Only after receiving guarantees for their safety and security, did residents of Camp Ashraf agree to relocate to Camp Liberty. The safety and security of the residents of Camp Liberty has been violated in the most egregious manner.”
The lawyers group is now calling for a full investigation into the attack, including into the conduct of Iraqi security forces before and during the attack, and whether they failed to prevent the attack.
It is also demanding guarantees for the future safety and security of all those detained at Liberty, it said.