General Assembly

Human Rights Council
12th  session

Item 2: Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General

Update by  the  High Commissioner

Thank you Mister President.

Madame High Commissioner,

We share the concern you expressed this morning about the grave violations of international human rights and humanitarian law that occur in the ongoing conflicts, as civilians become the target of violent attacks motivated by prejudice and hatred.

In this respect we want to draw attention to the particular situation of the Iranian citizens living in Camp Ashraf in Iraq, whose protection should be ensured by the State of Iraq, have become the target of severe violations of human and humanitarian rights. The documented acts of violence perpetrated by Iraqi forces on 28 and 29 July of this year against the unarmed residents of the Camp are not acceptable and need urgent attention by this Council and the Office of the High Commissioner.

The crack down on the 3,400 residents, of which a third are women and children, ended in 11 killed and some 500 wounded. Thirty-six residents were arbitrarily detained by the Iraqi forces and are being unlawfully held in prison despite an order by an Iraqi judge to release them.

Madame High Commissioner,

We would be grateful to know which steps your Office has taken in this regard and we urge you in view of the threats of further and worse violations by the Iraqi government, to provide a monitoring presence in the Ashraf Camp by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in conjunction with UNAMI.

Thank you.