Thirty-six campaign groups along with political personalities also urged the United Nations to make the arrangements for the transfer as soon as possible.
Politicians Tariq Karizi and Shahoo Gouran – both spokesmen for the Campaign to Defend the Rights of Iranian Refugees in Iraq – provided media with a statement signed by the groups and political personalities that states: “Currently it is more than a year since the residents of Camp Ashraf were relocated to Camp Liberty under the pretext of being transferred to third countries.
“Based on promises given by UN and relevant parties, Liberty was supposed to be a temporary and secured location that met international and humanitarian standards for these refugees.
“It was because of such commitments and guarantees that a forcible displacement was imposed on residents of Ashraf and were transferred from their 27 year-old residence in Diyalah Province to a prison so-called Liberty.
“However after one year and the disclosure of undeniable documents, it is clear that these refugees have been deceived. Liberty was not a temporary and safe place and had also not met humanitarian and international standards. Lawyers of the residents have also been deprived of visiting their clients.”
The statement continued: “The attack on February 9, 2013, on Camp Liberty that resulted in the death of seven refugees and injury of more than a 100 showed that Liberty has turned into a killing field for these refugees.
“Threats imposed by terrorist forces affiliated to the Iranian regime for another attack still goes on and the lives of these refugees are at stake.
“Considering the fact that UNHCR has announced the residents of the two camps Ashraf and Liberty to be ‘protected persons’ under international laws, it responsible for the security and safety of the residents.
“As the number of residents transferred to third countries is less than fingers one one hand, the project of ‘Liberty as a TTL’ is considered failed.”
The campaigners then issued two key demands. Firstly that residents be urgently be returned Ashraf, and their relocation to other countries continued from there. And secondly that the UNHCR re-endorse the refugee status of all the residents and guarantee their safety and security.
Camp Liberty houses some 3,100 members of the People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK) in Iraq who were forcibly evicted from their 26 years home in Ashraf.