The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), in its periodic report regarding the human rights situation in Iraq, emphasized on the legal status of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) as “protected persons” according to the Geneva Fourth Convention. It also assessed the threats against the PMOI.

The UNAMI report which was published on the UN website on Sunday reads:
“ UNAMI also assessed periodically the situation of the estimated 3,300 members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) residing in Ashraf Camp in Diyala governorate, in particular with regard to any risks faced by individual members of non-voluntary repatriation to their country of origin in violation of the principle of non-refoulement. The status of individual members of the group as protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention, a determination made in June 2004 by the then Coalition Forces, remained unchanged. UNAMI also monitored their situation in terms of humanitarian needs, with residents citing increasing difficulties in ensuring access to adequate supplies of essential items.”

It is worth mentioning that since 2005 selling food stuff, medicine, fuel and other necessary materials to Ashraf residents has banned by the Iraqi government, and it has not changed so far. This illegal measure has been condemned repeatedly by the international communities, parliamentary and humanitarian groups and the relevant UN organs.

Following the 4-day visit of the UNAMI officials of Ashraf City in July 2007, UNAMI published a report which said:
“UNAMI continues to assess any risks faced by residents of Camp Ashraf of non-voluntary repatriation to their country of origin, and takes the view that the residents must not be deported, expelled of repatriated in violation of the principle of non-refoulement or displaced inside Iraq in violation of the relevant provisions of international humanitarian law. In June 2004, the residents of Camp Ashraf were determined by the then Coalition Forces to be protected by the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention covering alien civilians in a territory of conflict.”