Protest Prison-Making Measures in Liberty, Iraqi Armed Forces Out of Liberty
EveryOne Group requests immediate attention by:
Hon. Ban Ki-Moon
UN Secretary General
New York
Hon Antonio Guterres
High Commissioner for Refugees
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Hon. Navy Pillay
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Hon. Catherine Asthon,
European Union Foreign Policy Chief
Roma/Ashraf, February 26, 2012
We the signatories of this declaration raise the attention of the international community, especially the UN Secretary-General to the flagrant violation of Ashraf residents’ rights in Camp Liberty in Iraq. A few days following the transfer of nearly 400 Ashraf residents to Liberty, all signs indicate this camp is a high security control prison.
The residents in Liberty do not have the right to exit the camp. They have no access to lawyers; no unfettered access to medical services; the small area is surrounded by high concrete walls; Iraqi armed police have established numerous stations with semi-heavy machine guns and the police conducts continuous armed patrols inside the vicinity. Eavesdropping devices are installed adjacent to the camp and numerous spying cameras have also been placed in various locations all around the camp. There is no doubt that outlet of these devices are placed at the disposal of the Iranian regime, with the dangers posing for the residents and their families being quite obvious.
Not only does Camp Liberty fall short of human rights norms, in fact even its infrastructure does not meet humanitarian standards. The camp is suffering from a serious shortage of drinking water and electricity. Dilapidated sewage systems have made the area severely infected and rancid, seriously threatening the resident’s wellbeing and there is no means of properly disposing the sewage.
Considering the disturbing news of Camp Liberty, we call on the UN Secretary-General, the US Secretary of State and the EU High Representative to strongly protest the Iraqi government’s inhuman measures and for minimum guarantees to be recognized for Liberty as a refugee camp:
- All armed forces and the police station positioned outside the camp. All espionage cameras and eavesdropping devices must be removed.
- Providing appropriate infrastructure for the residents including drinking water, electricity and proper sewage systems.
- Freedom of movement for the residents as stressed in the UNHCR’s 1 February statement. The residents’ unfettered access to medical services in Iraq, their lawyers and families, and UN monitoring in Camp Liberty.
- Transfer of vehicles and movable assets from Camp Ashraf to Liberty without any limitations, and selling immovable assets in Ashraf under UN supervision.
-Obviously, in order to avoid Liberty becoming a prison, it is imperative that the above items be provided for. If these conditions are not met, the transfer of the remaining Ashraf residents to Liberty is not possible.
For EveryOne Group,
the co-presidents
Roberto Malini, Matteo Pegoraro, Dario Picciau
