New violence in Camp Ashraf raises concerns for the safety of its residents

Geneva, 11 April 2011. The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) is deeply concerned about a new raid by theIraqi armed forces on Camp Ashraf, home to the 3, 400 members of the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI), an Iranian opposition movement, which led to the death of at least 35residents and leaving many others injured.

According tothe information received, on 8April 2011, at around 4:40 a.m., around2500 soldiers of the Iraqi armed forces entered CampAshraf,in Diyala province, north of Bagdad.The soldiers reportedly fired indiscriminately at the residents, includingwomen and unarmed men, killing at least 35 residents, among them at least fourwomen, and leaving over 325 injured persons. Several residents are alsoreported to have been abducted. The Iraqi armed forces remain, to date, in thecamp. The adviser on CampAshrafof the UN Secretary General Special Representative in Iraq wasallegedly prevented from entering the camp.

OMCT hasalready expressed many times its concern over the security conditions for theresidents. In
July 2009, despite guarantees by the United States (US) forcesand the Iraqi Government, the camp was raided by Iraqi forces in view ofexpulsing its residents to Iran. The raid left eleven dead and around 500injured. The residents of CampAshrafhave since reportedly been deprived of basic needs, such as medical care, fueland necessary supplies for the camp. In 2010, they were also subjected tonumerous acts of harassment, among others, family members or lawyers beingprevented from entering the camp and the use by Iraqi forces of powerfulloudspeakers to psychologically harass them.

Thesituation is particularly critical now that the United States has closed downits Forward Operating Base at Ashraf (FOB Grizzly), leaving the facilitiesentirely in the hands of the Iraqi authorities, who oppose the presence of CampAshraf in Iraq. With this decision, the United Nations Assistance Mission forIraq (UNAMI) was on its turn forced to leave the camp as it relied on theprotection of the FOB Grizzly to carry out their work.

OMCT recalls that, since PMOImembers living in the camp have been disarmed, they have been

designated as “protected persons”under Article 27 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, of which guarantees wereclearly stipulated in various protocols signed with USforces.

In light ofthese recent events, OMCT reiterates its previous call to set up aninternational and permanent presence in CampAshrafto ensure the protection of its residents.

Contact:

Eric Sottas,Secretary General, OMCT, Tel. +41 22 809 49 39