Regarding the 36 abducted Ashraf residents by the Iraqi forces on July 28, 2009, the Associated Press reported on September 30: “Also Wednesday, Iraq’s chief prosecutor, Ghadanfar Mahmoud, issued a blanket order for police to release 36 members of an Iranian opposition group who were detained during a raid on their camp in northern Iraq in July.
The People’s Mujahedeen of Iran has claimed Iraqi security forces have refused to free the men even though they have not been charged by judicial authorities.
“(The detainees) should have been released by now … We have issued orders to all police stations to release them wherever they are,” said Mahmoud.”