INTV, 20 Sep 2013 – The United Nations Human Rights Council held its 24th session in Geneva with envoys of Ireland and Uruguay, along with those representing various NGOs human rights organizations, condemning the massacre and hostage-taking in Ashraf on September 1st.
The envoys called on the United States and UN for immediate intervention for the release of the hostages and provide protection for Liberty. The speakers went on to call on the Human Rights Council to assume responsibility of Camp Liberty and the UN to assume protection for the residents. On the attack, all envoys insisted a thorough, independent, comprehensive and transparent investigation is needed.

 
The Irish envoy supported the call made by the High Commissioner for Human Rights for an investigation on the horrible massacre of at least 52 people in Ashraf, to be independent, complete and transparent.

 
The Uruguay representative said we condemn the September 1 attack and this did not resemble the previous attacks. In fact it was carried out in summary execution style and taking hostages, which are illegal under international law against unarmed populations.

 
The envoy of MRAP (the Movement Against Racism and Friendship among the Peoples called for the immediate release of the seven hostages abducted by Iraqi officials. MRAP called on the Human Rights Council to assume directly management responsibility of Camp Liberty, and called on UNAMI to assume the responsibility of physical protection of Iranian asylum-seekers and probe into the previous massacres and recent summary executions.

The envoy of the International Culture Development Organization joined voice with other NGOs in condemning the massacre in Ashraf. This organization called on the US and UNAMI to assume responsibility of the residents’ protection and provide their safety and security.

 
The representative of the International Association of Women’s Human Rights described the attack against Camp Ashraf as a crime against humanity, adding considering the serious threat of further attacks against asylum-seekers in their location in Camp Liberty, their security is of priority.
Therefore, we call on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and all human rights mechanisms in the Member States to launch take urgent action to obtain the release of the seven arbitrarily arrested residents and prevent their torture and extradition, the envoy added.
She went on to say we call on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to consider a UNAMI team for Camp Liberty and UN blue-helmet forces stationing there to improve the residents’ security.