41 families of prisoners in Rajavi cult write to Filippo Grandi, High Commissioner for Refugees

Dear Mr. Filippo Grandi, High Commissioner for Refugees.

We are a group of families who have come to Iraq in the hope of visiting our loved ones who are incarcerated in Camp Liberty. From 23rd to 26th of May 2016 we have presented ourselves four times at the gates of the Mojahedin Khalq’s camp (Liberty) bringing flowers and sweets and presents including tokens of our country’s soil. We have come in good faith and with clean hearts, without any feelings of hostility or even criticism against the leaders of the Mojahedin Khalq (MKO, MEK, NCRI …). Our only hope has been to meet with our family members. But the cult minders and guards not only did not show any friendly gesture or regard for our simple demands, instead they crushed our presents (the soil of our county which is obviously precious for us) under their boots, destroyed and burned the flowers and gifts we brought. On 26th May 2016 they increased their hostile activities and, adding to the usual swearing and insults, they started attacking us physically, injuring some.

I would like to bring to your attention some parts of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights UDHR):

“Article 13.

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.

And:

Article 16.

(…)

(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.”

Link to UDHR

http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/index.html

Your colleagues from the UNHCR attended the scene shortly after we were attacked by the Mojahedin Khalq (MKO) and witnessed the situation. There are also photos and video clips which can be presented as evidence. All the families involved in this event are, of course, ready to give evidence about what happened.

Our question is why your good self and your organisation which clearly witnessed the injustice and the abuse of our human rights in front of the gates of Camp Liberty are silent and why is it that you do not wish to act to restore our rights?

How do you explain your double standards to the on looking international community?

We don’t have any demand but just a simple one. We demand the right to visit our children. Why is it that your do not engage to restore this simple human right which has been abused for long enough right in front of you?

We urge your good self to take notice of our basic, legal, humanitarian demand.

The Mojahedin Khalq (MKO, MEK, ….) claim that we are “agents of the intelligence ministry of Iran” and not the families of the people trapped inside camp Liberty. The Mojahedin Khalq have long used this excuse to prevent us from visiting our loved ones. To take away this ridiculous excuse we would now like to ask you and your organisation (UNHCR) to take charge of our trips to Iraq and arrange simple and basic meetings with our loved ones outside the confines of Camp Liberty and without the presence of Mojahedin Khalq minders and commanders. We are of course ready to bear the expenses but we need this trip to Iraq to be under your supervision and command. Our country is a member of United Nations and pays its yearly dues accordingly. It is part of your duty to give us an official answer.

We now wait for your reply.

Iran,

22June 2016

Signatories:

List of signatories, families of those imprisoned in camp Liberty in Iraq

R Name and Surname of Visitor Name and Surname of Prisoner Relationship with Prisoner

1 Mahnaz Akkafian Mohammad Ali  Sasani Mother

2 Jahanshir Sasani Mohammad Ali  Sasani Father

3 Ahmad Hajari Ali Hajari Brother

4 Shahin  Hajari Ali  Hajari Sister

5 Zeynab Hajari  Ali  Hajari Sister

6 Sakina Avazzade Ali  Hajari Mother

7 Mohammad Beheshti Mostafa Beheshti Brother 

8 Narges Beheshti Mostafa Beheshti Sister

9 Mah Monir Iranpour Ahmad Reza and Mohammad Reza Iranpour Sister

10 Raheleh Iranpour Ahmad Reza and Mohammad Reza Iranpour Sister

11 Homa Iranpour Ahmad Reza and Mohammad Reza Iranpour Sister

12 Hassan Toffah Ahmad Reza and Mohammad Reza Iranpour brother in law

13 Zomorrod Amini Gholamreza Shokri Mother

14 Hassan Morad Shokri  Gholamreza Shokri cousin

15 Fariba Sorkhi Ahmad  Sorkhi   Sister

16 Fatema Keykhahi Hassan Ali Baharloo brother’s wife

17 Fatema  Baharloo Hassan Ali Baharloo Sister

18 Sakran Bavi  Soltan Bavi  Brother

19 Shahla Mardani Soltan Bavi brother’s wife

20 Aziz Mahdavi Majid Mahdavi Brother

21 Jehad Motavveri Valid  Motavveri Brother

22 Jahangir Saberi Agil Saberi  Brother

23 Mortaza Nowroozi Abdolmajid   Nowroozi   Brother

24 Saeid Zolgadari Mahmood  Zolgadari Brother

25 Hossein Hassan Kaveyar Mahsen   Hassan Kaveyar Fother

26 Mohammad Ali  Arbabi Hadi Arbabi Brother

27 Karam Reza Mirzayi Gholam Ali  Mirzayi Brother

28 Shahnaz  Mirzayi Gholam Ali  Mirzayi brother’s wife

29 Fereshte Mahdian Gholam Ali  Mirzayi wife

30 Tajoddowla Heydarian Mehdi Hamidfar Mother

31 Bijade Mahmoodi Fard Chegini Eskandar Arjomand Mother

32 Rogayya Farazian Fard Kohan Feridoon Nedayi Mother

33 Ghahraman Pooladrag  Bijan  Pooladrag Father

34 Farida  Pooladrag Bijan  Pooladrag Sister

35 Behrooz Awladi  Massooma Awladi Brother

36 Alireza Darvishtabar  Ali Asghar  Darvishtabar Brother

37 Akbar Moradi Kamrani Hooshang  Moradi Kamrani Brother

38 Jahanbakhsh  Najafi Zelani Daryoosh  Najafi Zelani Brother

39 Gholam Reza Jaafari Ali Reza Jaafari  brother

40 Hamida Dabbagh Aali Nassab Manssoor Abbaskhani brother’s wife

41 Nader  Abbaskhani Manssoor Abbaskhani Nephew

CC:

 UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI)

 Office of UNHCR (Baghdad)

 ICRC

 Office of Iraqi President

 Office of Iraqi PM

 Office of Iraqi Parliament Speaker

 State Department (US)

 US embassy (Baghdad)

 HRW

 US and Iraqi Media

Peyvan Rahaee,

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