Euro MPs Call for International Protection for Iranian Dissidents in Iraq

BRUSSELS, December 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

On Monday, 170 MPs representing all major political groups of the European Parliament released a statement condemning the brutal attack of 29 October on defenceless Iranian dissidents in Camp Liberty in Iraq. The statement went on to call for international protection for these refugees.

Signatories include two vice presidents of the parliament as well as 13 Committee and Delegation Chairs.

Camp Liberty is home to over 2000 members of the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), an Iranian opposition group that advocates for a free and secular Iran, equality between men and women, and abolition of death penalty.

Residents of this camp have been repeatedly attacked and killed by Iraqi forces and the Iranian regime's militias. Despite international outrage and a variety of previous political statements similar to this week's, no one has ever been arrested for these atrocities.

Signatories of the latest statement have called for replacement of Iraqi security adviser Faleh Fayyadh, who is known for his close links with Iran and is responsible for routine harassment of the residents of Camp Liberty.

The statement urged the international coalition to put Camp Liberty, which is situated close to the Baghdad airport, under its aerial protection.

It also called for an UN-led investigation into this massacre.

MEP Gérard Deprez, chair of the European Parliament group Friends of a Free Iran, praised his colleagues for their overwhelming support. Speaking from Brussels, Deprez said, "It is time the European Union takes serious measures and holds Iraq responsible for repeatedly failing to uphold its commitments to protect the refugees in Camp Liberty.

"We cannot just stand and watch defenceless refugees being repeatedly targeted in this way and nobody is held responsible," he continued.

The MEPs' statement said of the 29 October incident, "This was the seventh lethal attack on these refugees, as a result of which 141 people have been killed so far. Liberty is also suffering from a cruel medical siege imposed by Iraqi government which has led to the death of 27 of the residents."

Office of Gérard Deprez MEP
Chair, Friends of a Free Iran, European Parliament