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SENATOR JOHN McCAIN URGES SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY TO ADDRESS DEADLY ATTACK ON CAMP LIBERTY
Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry expressing deep concern about the reported attack on the Iranian dissidents at Camp Liberty, Iraq on October 29th that killed more than 20 residents and injured dozens more.
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European Parliament passes resolutions stating, “7 hostages are believed to be held in Baghdad, and calls for their immediate and unconditional release”
On Oct 10th the European Parliament passed a resolution on recent violence in Iraq.
It stated: ..Having regard to the statement on 1 September by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the tragic events in Camp Ashraf which left 52 people killed;
… Strongly condemns the attack on Camp Ashraf of 1 September 2013 by Iraqi forces, in which 52 Iranian refugees were killed, and 7 residents abducted, including 6 women who, as stated by Vice-President / High Representative Catherine Ashton, are believed to be held in Baghdad, and calls for their immediate and unconditional release; expresses its support for the work of the UNAMI, which is trying to relocate the 3 000 or so residents outside of Iraq;
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URGENT ACTION: Seven Iranians abducted from Camp Ashraf
SEVEN IRANIANS ABDUCTED FROM CAMP ASHRAF
Seven Iranian exiles, members of the People’s Mojahedeen Organization of Iran (PMOI), were abducted from Camp Ashraf, northeast of Baghdad, on 1 September by armed men who had attacked the Camp and killed 52 residents. Unconfirmed reports have suggested that they are in the custody of the Iraqi authorities. They are at risk of torture or other ill-treatment and could be forcibly returned to Iran.
Six women, Fatemeh Tahoori, Vajihe Karbalaey (aka Vajihe Karbalaey Fatah), Mahnaz Azizi (aka Mahbobeh Lashkari), Lila Nabahat, Zahra Ramezani (aka Sedegh Ebrahimpour), Fatema Sakhie and a man, Mohammad Ratebi (aka Mohsen Nicknamei) were abducted on 1 September from Camp Ashraf, about 60km north-east of Baghdad in Diyala governorate, when the camp was raided by armed men who shot and killed 52 camp residents. All of the seven are members of the People’s Mojahedeen Organization of Iran (PMOI), an Iranian opposition group. Amnesty International condemns the killing of the 52 residents and has called for an independent and impartial investigation into the killings.
Eye witnesses from the Camp stated that they had seen the seven people in handcuffs, being beaten and thrown to the ground and then taken away in a white minibus. Their whereabouts remain unknown although unconfirmed reports have suggested that the seven were held in a detention facility at the former al-Muthanna airport in central Baghdad. The Iraqi government has denied responsibility for the attack although Iraqi forces have been responsible for previous attacks on the camp that resulted in dozens of resident deaths.http://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/uaa24213.pdf
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USCCAR Condemns Third Rocket Attack on Camp Liberty, Deplores Inaction by State Department
WASHINGTON, June 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – The US Committee for Camp Ashraf Residents (USCCAR), on behalf of hundreds of Iranian-Americans whose loved ones in Iraq’s Camp Liberty were the target of a massive Tehran-engineered rocket attack today, deplores the US government’s indifference toward a dire humanitarian situation despite its assurances that relocation to Liberty would ensure the safety of the residents.
Some 3,100 members of Iran’s principal opposition movement, the Mujahedin-e Khalq (PMOI/MEK) have been living at Camp Liberty since January 2012 after they left Camp Ashraf and following US and UN assurances about their safety and security. About one-third of the residents are women and an equal number are former political prisoners in Iran.
Since the first rocket attack on Camp Liberty on February 9th, US families of Camp Liberty residents have held hundreds of meetings with members of the both houses of US Congress – including with senior members of the relevant committees – as well as the Department of State to stress that in absence of any near term possibility of whole-sale resettlement of their loved ones in third countries, Camp Liberty residents must return to Camp Ashraf.
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USCCAR Urges Secretary Kerry to Facilitate Immediate Return of Residents of Iraq’s Camp Liberty “Killing Field” to Camp Ashraf
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The US Committee for Camp Ashraf Residents (USCCAR), on behalf of hundreds of Iranian-Americans whose loved ones in Iraq’s Camp Liberty were the target of the Tehran-engineered rocket attack last weekend, has written to the US Secretary of State John Kerry to urge him to facilitate the immediate return of Camp Liberty residents to Camp Ashraf where they are far better protected against such attacks.
Saturday’s cowardly attack, which left seven residents killed and more than 100 seriously wounded, attests to the fact that this camp is neither safe nor secure for the residents whom the UN Refugee Agency has recognized as asylum seekers.
In the letter, USCCAR noted that “By all measures, Camp Liberty is a killing field. It is only half a square kilometers in size, 80 times smaller than Camp Ashraf. The camp lacks any shelter or high concrete walls to shield the residents against rocket attacks. The residential areas are consisted of dilapidated trailers that are crammed next to each other. The trailers’ aluminum walls provide no protection at all against rocket shrapnel… In contrast, the sprawling Camp Ashraf has buildings made from concrete and contains protective shelters.”
“We, the families of Iranian dissidents in Camp Liberty and Camp Ashraf, hold the United States responsible for safety and security of our loved ones in accordance with its treaty and international obligations as well as its written guarantees to each and every resident in 2004 that it will protect them until their final disposition,” the letter added.
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US Committee for Camp Ashraf Residents (USCCAR) Lauds MEK’s Delisting by Secretary Clinton
The delisting, while long overdue, is a courageous and correct decision by Secretary Clinton
WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – The US Committee for Camp Ashraf Residents (USCCAR), representing thousands of Iranian-Americans whose loved ones are facing a humanitarian crisis as refugees in Camp Liberty in Iraq, lauds the removal of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) from the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations by Secretary Hillary Clinton.
The dark chapter of the blacklisting of the MEK, the most distinct feature of the policy of placating Iran’s ruling regime, is now behind us. USCCAR is hopeful that this courageous move by Secretary Clinton will provide a new opportunity for the United States to stand with those who seek democratic change by the Iranian people and their resistance movement for a democratic, secular and non-nuclear republic in Iran.
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US Committee for Camp Ashraf Residents (USCCAR) Welcomes Decision by Secretary Clinton to Remove MEK from US Terrorism List
WASHINGTON – The US Committee for Camp Ashraf Residents (USCCAR), representing thousands of Iranian-Americans whose loved ones are facing a humanitarian crisis as refugees in Camp Liberty in Iraq, welcomes the reported decision by Secretary Hillary Clinton to remove the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) from the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
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Iran Election Process Rigged From the Start; Rouhani is Still Just a Regime Insider and Khamenei Will Still be Calling the Shots, Ros-Lehtinen Says
Because if history has shown us anything, it is that these elections tend to bring with them a false hope that the regime is cracking, when in fact it is just cementing its control
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Jun 18, 2013: (WASHINGTON) – U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, made the following statement during a subcommittee hearing titled: “Elections in Iran: The Regime Cementing its Control.” Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:
In our fervor to repudiate all things Ahmadinejad and force ourselves into believing things in Iran are set to change, the West has rushed to anoint Hassan Rohani as the moderate hope who will ease tensions between Iran and the West. -
Iraq must urgently investigate attack against Iranian exile camp
Press releases
Authorities in Iraq must urgently investigate the attack against a camp of Iranian exiles that left several people dead and injured and ensure all those wounded receive appropriate medical care, said Amnesty International today.
The investigation should also look into the conduct of Iraqi security forces in the lead up and during the attack and whether they have failed to prevent any such attack.
Several people reportedly died and have been injured as a result of the attack against Camp Liberty, home of some 3,000 Iranians in exile in Iraq, on 9 February.
“The attack against Camp Liberty is a despicable crime,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International Middle East and North Africa Programme’s Deputy Director.
“Authorities in Iraq must ensure not only that those responsible for this attack are brought to justice but that those living in the camp are protected.”
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Iraq Government urged to investigate deadly attack on Camp Liberty
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC STATEMENT
AI Index: MDE 14/010/2013
IRAQ GOVERNMENT URGED TO INVESTIGATE DEADLY ATTACK ON CAMP LIBERTY
Amnesty International urges the authorities in Iraq to immediately investigate Saturday’s rocket attack on Camp Liberty which reportedly left two residents dead and dozens injured.
In the early afternoon of 15 June 2013 Camp liberty, home of around 3200 Iranian exiles, came under rocket attacks. Kolthoum Sarahati, a female resident, reportedly died instantly in the attack. A second resident, Javad Naghashan, is believed to have died later in hospital as a result of his injuries. At least 27 others were said to have been injured during the attack.
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- Support a Democratic, Secular, Republic and Non-Nuclear Iran
Documents
Documents (Post Type): Statements, Hearing & Briefings