Belgian Committee of Parliamentarians for a Democratic Iran urged Maliki for release of Ashraf residents

In a letter to the Iraqi Prime Minister, the Belgian Committee of Parliamentarians for a Democratic Iran urged him that the rule of law is implemented and the 36 detained Ashraf residents be returned to Ashraf immediately.

 

September 28, 2009
Honourable Nouri al-Maliki
Prime Minister of Iraq
Office of the Prime Minister
Baghdad,
Iraq

 

Dear Mr Maliki,

As President of the Belgian Committee of Parliamentarians for a Democratic Iran, I am writing to express our deep concern over the continued detention of 36 Ashraf residents who have been on hunger strike for over 60 days since their abduction on 28 July 2009. As you are aware 11 PMOI members were killed and over 500 were wounded after the Iraqi police violently attacked those unarmed and defenceless people in Ashraf Camp on 28 and 29 July 2009.
We were informed today that the Iraqi Court in the City of Khalis issued its third and definitive ruling and ordered the Iraqi police to release these 36 Iranian opposition refugees and return them to Ashraf Camp.
However they have not yet been released because of reported Iraqi government’s opposition and interference to the judicial system. This is quite unacceptable and is severely damaging for the reputation of the government of Iraq and its people.
Therefore we would like you to make sure that the rule of law is implemented and
these 36 would be returned to Ashraf immediately.
Yours sincerely,
Senator Dirk Claes
President of Belgian Committee of Parliamentarians for a Democratic Iran
Chairman
Dirk Claes, Senator (CD&V)
Members:
Patrick Moriau, MP (PS)
Jean-Pierre Malmendier (MR)
Margriet Hermans (Open VLD)
Geert Lambert, Senator (SLP)
Elke Tindemans, Senator (CD&V)
Ludwig Vandenhove, MP (sp.a)
Christiane Vienne, Senator (PS)
Marc Verwilghem, Senator (Open VLD)