The legal experts who represent 9000 lawyers and jurists from 13 Arab countries said refusing to hand over the remains of those killed was in breach of fourth Geneva Convention – which Iraq had agreed to honour.
They said in a statement: “Camp Liberty residents were violently attacked by rockets on Saturday, 9 February, 2013. As a result, seven died and many were injured. Yet the Government of Iraq has so far prevented the delivery of their bodies.
“These crimes against Liberty residents are considered as an international penalty and are included in the fourth Geneva Convention.”
The lawyers said it was not the first time Iraq had refused to hand over the bodies of Iranian dissidents.
Their statement added: “These cruel measures have also been repeated in the past. The bodies of slain Zahra Hosseini and Amir Mostufian were held for four months to a year. The Iraqi Government uses this tactic as a means of enforcing psychological pressure on the camp residents.
“Acting in such a manner whilst UNAMI is in Iraq means an investigation of the UNAMI attitude towards Camp Liberty must be carried out.”