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,