A press conference was held today by Belgian Committee of Parliamentarians for a Democratic Iran, in International Press Club Centre in Brussels. The conference was chaired by Committee Chairman, Senator Dirk Claes, from the ruling Flemish Christian Democratic Party (CD&V) and dealt with the situation of Iranian dissidents at Camp Ashraf in Iraq, who had been target of deadly assaults in the summer.
6 October 2009
International jurists and lawmakers call on Iraq to release 36 Iranian hostages
“The US Government is responsible for the security of Camp Ashraf”
A press conference was held today by Belgian Committee of Parliamentarians for a Democratic Iran, in International Press Club Centre in Brussels. The conference was chaired by Committee Chairman, Senator Dirk Claes, from the ruling Flemish Christian Democratic Party (CD&V) and dealt with the situation of Iranian dissidents at Camp Ashraf in Iraq, who had been target of deadly assaults in the summer.Senator Claes opened the event by expressing the lawmakers’ deep concerns over the tragic events of late July at Camp Ashraf. “We are very concerned over the situation of Camp Ashraf in Iraq. 11 people were killed and over 500 injured when Iraqi forces brutally attacked the Camp which is the home of 3400 members of the Iranian democratic opposition, PMOI, in end of July”, he said.
He stressed the committee’s concerns over the fate of the 36 residents who were “taken hostage” by Iraqi forces during the raid and “have been brutally attacked, beaten and are now moved to Iraq Prime Ministry’s special prison while on their 70th day of hunger strike”.
He reminded that the attack on the prisoners took place despite several verdicts of Iraqi courts with the definitive verdict on 27 September, ordering their unconditional release. “For this reason we have called on the Belgian government and also on the European Union to strongly condemn this attack and call for the immediate release of these 36 hostages”, the senator stressed.
Dirk Claes also read out a joint statement signed by 400 members of parliament from various European countries which has called for immediate release of 36 Ashraf residents held hostage by Iraqi forces. The statement urges the U.S. forces to guarantee protection of Ashraf residents and calls for deployment of United Nations monitoring team in Ashraf to prevent forcible displacement of the residents within Iraq.
Professor Eric David, President of the International Law Centre from Free University of Brussels (ULB) explained on the legal aspect of the situation and said the residents of Ashraf are all civilians and had political refugee status under the previous regime in Iraq. “According to the ‘Principle of the Continuity of State’ the current government of Iraq must adhere to the commitments of the previous government as far as the political refugee status of Ashraf residents is concerned”. “Displacing them within Iraq would be in violation of the international laws”, he emphasized.
Mr. Jean Pierre Spitzer, lawyer at the Paris Bar association and the Scientific Director of the Union of European Lawyers said: “What is happening in Ashraf by the Iraqis is against international laws and it is the responsibility of the Americans to prevent the abuse of the rights of Ashraf residents. Even in the former Soviet Union, they did not defy their own courts but in Iraq they do. The EU and US government must protect the rights of these Iranian dissidents in Iraq.
Mr Tunne Kelam MEP, member of European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with Iraq who visited Ashraf Camp last year said: “PMOI members in Camp Ashraf have an excellent relationship with the local Iraqis. They are ‘Protected Persons’ under the 4th Geneva Convention and it is the responsibility of the USA to provide their security as long as US remains in Iraq”. He also stressed that the European Parliament resolution of 24 April 2009 on Ashraf has not been respected by Iraq and warned of its consequences. “The present situation of Ashraf and these 36 hostages are a big test for the Iraqi government. If the government and the Prime Minister do not want to respect their own courts, it will have grave consequences on our relationship with Iraq”, he stressed.
Belgian Committee of Parliamentarians for a Democratic Iran
6 October 2009