Maryam Rajavi: Violent attacks against Ashraf is a war crime, a crime against humanity, and a futile attempt by Khamenei to compensate for his defeat in the face of the nationwide uprising
– 5 killed, 385 injured, 31 arrested in attacks by Iraqi forces against Ashraf
– 13 of the wounded in critical condition; Entry of doctors banned
– Residents began a hunger strike last night
– The Iranian Resistance, the wounded and families of those killed will file complaint in international tribunal against Iraqi government and Prime Minister
NCRI – The Iranian Resistance’s President-elect, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, described the violent attack by Iraqi forces against the defenseless and unarmed residents of Ashraf, who are protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention, a crime against humanity and a case of war crimes. So far, the attack has left 5 dead, 385 wounded, and 31 detained.
Mrs. Rajavi added that the Iranian Resistance, the wounded, and families of those killed will take their case against the Iraqi government and its Prime Minister, who personally ordered the attack, to relevant international tribunals.
Mrs. Rajavi emphasized that the responsibility to protect residents of Ashraf rests with the United States, and called for the intervention of the UN Security Council and human rights organizations to prevent further killing of Ashraf residents.
She added that the attack was carried out at the behest of the Iranian regime and that the regime’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, is using it in a futile bid to compensate for his humiliating defeat in the face of the Iranian people’s nationwide uprising. However, he has failed to realize that the brutality of his agents in Iraq against Ashraf residents will serve to strengthen the Iranian people’s resolve in their uprising for freedom.
The attack against Ashraf began at 15:00 local time by the Iraqi forces, whose numbers grew to nearly 2,000, and was followed by firing of rounds of live ammunition and using of tear gas canisters, pepper gas, batons, iron bars, clubs, boiling water sprayed at high pressure, and sonic grenades. Iraqi military loaders and armored vehicles demolished gates, fences, and walls of the camp while foot soldiers swarmed the camp from various entry points.
The names of those killed in the attack are Farzin Zamani, Mehrdad Niksiar, Mohammad-Reza Bakhtiari, Mehrdad Rezazadeh, and Amir Khayeri. Thirteen of those wounded are in critical condition and are on the verge of losing their lives. Despite of that, Iraqi forces refuse to allow in doctors to treat them. Ashraf residents urged American forces, who were on location and witnessed the Iraqi forces’ crimes, to transfer the wounded to the US military hospital in Balad, but they have not done so.
The Iranian Resistance would hold the Iraqi government and its Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, personally responsible if the wounded were to die. One of those injured last night lost his life this morning due to lack of medical resources. Ms. Zohreh Qaemi, Deputy Secretary General of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), is among the wounded.
The Iranian regime’s agents in Iraq have also stolen a number of vehicles owned by Ashraf residents, and just like the Revolutionary Guards and plainclothes agents in Iran, they have also broken other vehicles’ windows, slashed their tires with knives and daggers, and razed trees and protective curbs in the middle and sides of the roads. They are enormously sensitive and afraid of the taking of pictures and recording of videos and brutally attack anyone doing so. They also refuse to allow the passing of cars carrying the wounded and beat their passengers with the intention of killing them. At Ashraf’s Main Gate, they have piled up soil 1.5 m high to obstruct flow of traffic.
Last night, residents of Ashraf announced that they have started a hunger strike and will continue it until the fulfillment of their just and rightful demands. Among the demands are the leaving of Iraqi forces from Ashraf, releasing those taken hostage, acceptance of Ashraf’s protection by US forces, presence of lawyers and international human rights organizations at Ashraf, visits by UN Security Council representative or Secretary General in Ashraf, the Iraqi government’s compliance with the April 24th European Parliament resolution on Ashraf, and putting on trial and punishing the culprits of yesterday’s brutal attacks against Ashraf.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
July 29, 2009