Iranian dissidents in Iraq: the beginning of a sit-in in Geneva

ATS News Agency
August 25, 2008

Geneva, August 25, 2008 (ats) - Dozens of supporters and families of the Iranian opposition in Iraq began an open-ended "sit-in" on Monday in Geneva.

They asked the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) to intervene to prevent the transfer or expulsion of 3,500 Iranian dissidents from Iraq.

"The 'sit-in' will last as long as it is necessary outside the United Nations Headquarters," said Afshine Alavi, a National Council of Resistance's spokesman. We call on the (ICRC) to take a public stance.

The participants call on the ICRC to ask the Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I) to continue to provide protection for Ashraf (home to the Iranian dissidents in Iraq) to avoid a "human catastrophe" and stressed on the need to respect the International Humanitarian Law, International Law and the principle of non-refoulement.

Last Wednesday, hundreds of supporters of the Iranian opposition in Iraq demonstrated in Geneva against the threat that Baghdad authorities might expel the dissidents under pressure from Tehran. A delegation from the participants was received by the ICRC officials at its headquarters.

When asked, a spokesman for the ICRC said that the organization "is in contact with the authorities and is talking with all concerned parties."

The MNF-I is providing protection for the Iranian dissents in Iraq since May 2003.