Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe, consisting of 636 members of Senates and Parliaments from 47 countries across Europe and central Asia, regarded the U.S. forces accountable for the security of Camp Ashraf.

The declaration of October 2, 2008 in support of the legal rights of Ashraf residents, signed by four leaders of different political groups of Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe and a number of most prominent members of the Assembly, was announced by Mr. Louise Maria de Pouch, chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe in the official session of the Council in Strasburg.

Part of the declaration reads as follows:

Amnesty International (28 August 2008 statement), the European Parliament (4 September 2008 resolution), and the International Federation of Human Rights (8 September) have expressed concern regarding the threats posed to 3,500 Iranian political refugees in Camp Ashraf in Iraq, who are protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Relevant international bodies and U.S. officials have confirmed that the principle of non-refoulement and protections under International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Law apply to Ashraf residents.

We are deeply concerned that the protection of Ashraf may be transferred from the U.S.-led Multi-National Force-Iraq to Iraqi forces resulting in greater pressure on the Iraqi government by the Iranian regime to crack down on or extradite PMOI members in Ashraf, and allowing the regime to increase its terrorist attacks on Ashraf.

Transferring protection of Ashraf under the present circumstances violates the principle of non-refoulement, the Fourth Geneva Convention, the Refugee Convention, the Convention Against Torture, IHL and International Law and would result in a humanitarian catastrophe, thus we urge U.S. forces for as long as they remain in Iraq to continue to protect Ashraf residents and uphold their judicial protection under international law.