• 150 days after the demise of a resident of Liberty and 50 days after passing of two Ashraf residents, their bodies have not been buried yet
In an antihuman and anti-Islamic move, the Iraqi government and forces have been preventing burial of the bodies of two deceased Ashraf residents Hamdollah Rahmani and Mohammad Ali Tatai for the past 50 days. Both of them were in injured during July 2009 attack on Ashraf and lost their lives respectively on 23 and 26 June in Baquba and Baghdad hospitals because of being denied free access to medical services, delay in their surgeries, and lack of appropriate treatment during their surgeries.
First, Iraqi forces refrained from delivering their corpses. After repeated follow-ups, the Iraqi government finally permitted that their bodies could be buried only outside Camp Ashraf.
On July 29 when the bodies were taken to a cemetery for burial, the cemetery authorities refrained from burying them because burial permit had not been issued. The residents’ follow-ups asking for permits have been futile so far.
Iraqi forces confiscated mobile phones and cameras belonging to the relatives and friends of the deceased who had gone to cemetery for burial ceremony. After two weeks and repeated follow-ups, they have not returned phones and cameras yet.
Also, five months after the passing of Engineer Bardia Mostofian, Iraqi forces continue to refrain from returning his body and prevent burying him. Engineer Bardia Amir-Mostofian was among the third group of Ashraf residents who moved to Camp Liberty where he passed away on March 20 immediately after arriving at the camp. Iraqi doctors confirmed that he died of cardiac arrest due to intense fatigue.
Residents’ representatives have informed UN authorities that Iraqi forces prevent burial of the deceased, but no result has been achieved yet.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
August 13, 2012
