British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom (BPCIF), which enjoys the support of the majority of House of Commons and over 200 members of House of Lords, defended the residents of Ashraf and condemned recent conspiracies of the Iranian regime against the members of the PMOI. In a letter to Mr. Antonio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, BPCIF announced: “
We are alarmed to have learnt of remarks attributed to the Foreign Minister of Iraq calling in contravention of the Geneva Conventions for the involuntary displacement of members of the Iranian opposition, People’s Mojahedin Organisation ofIran (PMOI) based in Camp Ashraf, Iraq.
The al-Iraqiya television station quoted Mr. Hoshyar Zebari as telling a joint press conference with Your Excellency on 16 February: “The Iraqi government is obligated to its decision about these individuals leaving this camp and that the camp be brought under Iraqi control.”
Mr. Zebari’s remarks have caused us great concern as all Ashraf residents have “protected persons” status under the Fourth Geneva Conventions, and as such they must not be subjected to forced deportation, expulsion or repatriation or displacement inside Iraq. The Iraqi Foreign Minister’s comments therefore breach international law and in particular violate the principle of non-refoulement.
In 2007, The International Committee for the Red Cross reiterated: “The ICRC is in direct contact with the relevant authorities on the issue of the PMOI members in Camp Ashraf, Iraq, and repeatedly reminds them of their obligation to act in accordance with the principle of non-refoulement, when transferring persons to another State or authority. The ICRC has made clear that the residents of Camp Ashraf must not be deported, expelled or repatriated in violation of abovementioned principle or displaced inside Iraq in violation of the relevant provisions ofInternational Humanitarian Law (IHL)”.
Our committee is equally alarmed at the fact that Your Excellency was present at the press conference alongside Mr. Zebari and took no action to rectify the Iraqi minister’s position. Taking into account your position as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, your participation at the conference alongside the Iraqi minister while these remarks were made in breach of international law only signals to the regime that it can get away with plotting against PMOI members in Ashraf.
You should be aware that on 8 February 2008, agents of the regime’s Qods Force bombed Ashraf’s water pump station, effectively cutting off water to the men and women there. The regime’s terrorists in Iraq are also now assassinating Iraqi supporters of the PMOI in record numbers.
In the eyes of the law the PMOI is not linked to terrorism. The group also enjoys the support of 5.2 million Iraqi citizens as well as 12,000 lawyers and 3,000 Sheiks and tribal leaders.
I now request that you confirm publicly that the UNHCR will uphold the terms of the Geneva Conventions by opposing calls by any party to have PMOI members leave Ashraf. I do this in the name of this committee which enjoys the backing of the majority of Members of Parliament and more than 200 members of the House of Lords for its support for human rights and democracy in Iran.”
The letter was signed by:
Rt. Hon. Lord Waddington, QC
Lord Alton of Liverpool
Rt, Hon, Lord Archer of Sandwell, QC
Rt, Hon, Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, QC
David Amess MP
Baroness Gould of Potternewton
Dr. Rudi Vis MP
Brian Binley MP
Baroness Turner of Camden
David Drew MP
Lord Taverne, QC
Lord King of West Bromwich
Lord Russell-Johnston Mark Williams MP Andrew Mackinlay MP Lord Inglewood DL
Baroness Dean of Thornton-Ie-Fylde Lord Joffe
David Gauke MP Lord Turnberg Roger Gale MP Baroness Blood John Leech MP
Lord Clarke of Hampstead
