According to the Iranian resistance sources, a number of rockets have hit the southern part of Camp Ashraf in Iraq. The rockets landed close to residential compound. Camp Ashraf was the target of raid last April in which 36 unarmed residents were killed. Since then the Iraqi government of Nouri al-Maliki has pressed the resident to leave the camp. The residents have filed for asylum with the United Nations Refugee agency UNHCR. On Dec. 21st the Iraqi government announced a 6 months extension of the Dec. 31st deadline opposed by Maliki. The Attack took place at 8 pm local time. Camp Ashraf is located about 80 Kilometers north of Baghdad.Canada welcomes extension of Closure of Camp Ashraf
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird met with Abdulrahman Hamid Mohammed Al-Husaini, Iraq’s Ambassador to Canada, in Ottawa ob December 21, and while the two touched on a broad range of security issues in the Middle East and on the reconstruction of Iraq, the focus of their discussion was Camp Ashraf, the home to 3400 Iranian dissidents. This refugee camp had been set to close at the end of the month, but on December 21, the Iraqi government announced a 6-month extension of that deadline. This will allow the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees more time to consider and facilitate outstanding asylum requests. John Baird directed officials of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada to visit Camp Ashraf and keep him apprised of developments there. The Minister also summoned Iraqi officials on several occasions and expressed Canada’s deep concern over the instability closing the Camp might cause. The House of Commons Subcommittee on International Human Rights, aired the issue of Camp Ashraf thoroughly this fall and worked across party lines with Baird to ensure the safety and security of refugees in the camp.
Mrs. Rajavi also welcomes peaceful solution for Camp Ashraf announces the residents consent for transfer of 400 of them to Camp Liberty with minimum guarantees for their security and safety provided
According to National Council of Resistance of Iran’s statement on Dec. 21st, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the Iranian Resistance welcomed a peaceful resolution of the Ashraf crisis and once again declared her readiness for an immediate visit to Baghdad for start of the talks with the Iraqi government for making the arrangements for implementation of a peaceful resolution of Ashraf crisis and to ensure the minimum guarantees for the safe and security of 400 Ashraf residents in their transfer to Camp Liberty.
The talks should be held at the presence of Ambassador Dan Fried, Special Advisor to U.S. Secretary of State on Ashraf; Martin Kobler, the UNSG Representative to Iraq; Ambassador Jean de Ruyt, Special Advisor to Baroness Ashton on Ashraf; Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Vice-president of the European Parliament; Struan Stevenson, President of European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iraq; and lawyers of Ashraf. While referring to remarks of Prime Minister Maliki on Wednesday, December 21, Mrs. Rajavi added: 'If Mr. Maliki, as he says, is truly for the departure of PMOI from Iraq, he should have not wasted any time since four months ago and immediately had accepted that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees start its work in Ashraf for reconfirmation of the residents’ refugee status and their transfer to third countries.' The President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, reminded the following as the minimum humanitarian and legal guarantees:
1. Safe and secure transfer of each and every one of Ashraf residents, without exception to Camp Liberty with their vehicles and moveable property under international observation
2. Around the clock monitoring by the UN and U.S. until the transfer of the last person to the third country,
3. Initiation of the work of the UNHCR,
4. Iraqi forces shall be stationed outside of fenced area of the new location to ensure the security and tranquility, particularly for nearly 1,000 Muslim women,
5. Ending the siege against, and halting any persecution and harassment of, the residents and annulment of forged warrants of arrests without any exception, and
6. Selling of the fixed properties of the residents under the UN supervision and to be reimbursed to the residents to pay for their security, logistical expenses, and transfer to third countries.
Head of Iran Judiciary defends widespread executions
Sadeq Larijani the head of the Judiciary in Iran said that the international community has become a tool in the hand of America and that the Islamic Republic is not ‘afraid’ of carrying out executions. “Execution sentences… are carried out according to the law and religion and in some case have to be in public”. He said. “Retribution in Iran is very rare but the law gives this right to the family of the victim and this is while in some western countries, they also accept retribution”, Sadeq Larijani claimed.
Iranian regime hangs man in Saveh
On December 20, a prisoner was hanged in the Saveh Prison. According to the Commander of the Saveh State Security Forces, this person was identified as N-Y.
