A conference in Cairo entitled “Crisis in Iraq, violations of human rights and Constitution, aggression against political trend, Ashraf residents’ forceful relocation” announced the declaration of two thousand lawyers and jurists from 13 Arab countries in support of Ashraf residents. This conference was held in the Taha Hossein Hall in the Journalists Syndicate in Cairo, with the declaration announced by lawyers and jurists defending Ashraf, along with various political and social dignitaries from the countries of Egypt, Jordan and Iraq.
Excerpts of this declaration are as follows:
“Under pressure from the Iranian regime, Maliki’s government has resorted to immoral and inhumane measures against international standards and the Geneva Conventions with the goal to defeat the peaceful solution for Ashraf.
“We call on the Arab League, European Union, United Nations and United States to increase pressure on the Iraqi government to allow the UNHCR begin its interviews with Ashraf residents in Ashraf as soon as possible.
“We consider any kind of relocation without minimum guarantees as forceful relocation and we are against the transfer of the residents to Camp Liberty. To save the peaceful and mutually satisfactory solution which Mr. Ban Ki-moon announced, we suggest a conference to be held in Paris or Geneva with the presence of Camp Ashraf representatives, all international parties and the Iraqi government. This suggestion was approved in the January 6th conference.”
A number of political dignitaries, jurists and lawyers who took part in the Cairo conference were as follows:
– Ahmad al-Jalabi, President of the Egyptian People’s Party
– Mahmoud Mohammad Abdolqader, President of the Egyptian Democratic Front
– Mahmoud al-Ansari, President of the National Front
– Mahmoud Mabrouk, Secretary General of the Egypt Youth Party
– Ahmad Abdolvareth, renowned Egyptian artist
– Iraqi political dignitary Ali Kelidar, President of the Delegation in Defense of Human Rights in Iraq
– Dr. Valid Farhat, President of the Egyptian Lawyers Society in Defense of Ashraf Residents
– Hana al-Semeri, lawyers, President of the Egyptian Women Lawyers Society in Defense of 1,000 PMOI Women in Ashraf
– Sofian al-Khassawane, President of the Jordanian Lawyers Association in Defense of Ashraf residents
– Iraqi political dignitary Mohammad Noureddin
– Mokhtar al-Ghobashi, expert in international laws and deputy director of the Arabic Political – Strategic Research Center
– Mostashar Hassan Ahmad Omar, lawyer and expert in international laws