NCRI - The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), in its latest periodic report regarding the human rights situation in Iraq, emphasized on the legal status of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) as “protected persons” based on the Fourth Geneva Convention. It also assessed the threats against the PMOI.

 “UNAMI assessed periodically the situation of the estimated 3,300 members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) residing in Ashraf Camp in Diyala governorate, in particular with regard to any risks faced by individual members of non-voluntary repatriation to their country of origin in violation of the principle of non-refoulement,” said the UNAMI report which was published on the organization's website on Sunday.

“The status of individual members of the group as protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention, a determination made in June 2004 by the then Coalition Forces, remained unchanged. UNAMI also monitored their situation in terms of humanitarian needs, with residents citing increasing difficulties in ensuring access to adequate supplies of essential items,” the report added.

Thousands of members of the main Iranian opposition group, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), also known as Mujahideen-e Khalq (MEK) are residing in Ashraf City in north east of Baghdad.

Under the pressures of the Iranian regime and its agents within the Iraqi government, supply of medicine, food and fuel to Ashraf City have been barred since 2005 in violation of international conventions. The situation prevails despite protests by international bodies such as the European Parliament and the United Nations.

On February 8, the terrorist agents of the Iranian regime's Revolutionary Guard Corps - Qods Force bombed the water supply pumping station which provided water to Ashraf City.

On March 6, Mr. Jean Ziegler, the Special Rapporteur on the right to food to the Human Rights Council, in a statement expressed deep concern about Asharf City’s residents and called on Iraqi authorities to “restore urgently the water supply to all the inhabitants of the region affected by the explosion in the water pumping station.”

 “The Iraqi authorities have failed to protect the inhabitants of Ashraf City and its surrounding area from the actions of third parties which are impeding enjoyment of the rights to food and water and creating a critical humanitarian situation. The competent authorities must restore urgently the water supply to all the inhabitants of the region affected by the explosion in the water pumping station; the affected population must be protected from violation of their rights by third parties. I call on the Iraqi authorities to take immediate measures to guarantee the rights to food and water of the inhabitants of Ashraf City/Camp Ashraf and its surrounding area,” the statement said.