Swiss daily: Iranian stage a sit-in outside UN in Geneva

Swiss daily Le Courrier
August 26, 2008

Dozens of supporters and families of Iranian opposition in Iraq began an open-ended sit-in yesterday in Geneva. They asked the International Committee of Red Cress (ICRC) to intervene to prevent the transfer of 3,500 Iranian dissidents, threatened with expulsion.

"The sit-in is held outside the UN's European Headquarters, Place des Nations, and will last as long as necessary, "said a spokesman of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).

The participants call on the ICRC to ask the Multi-National Force-Iraq(MNF-I) to continue the protection of Ashraf (residents of the dissidents) to avoid a "humanitarian catastrophe" and insist on the need to respect the International Humanitarian Law, the International Law and the principle of non-refoulement.

Last Wednesday, hundreds of supporters of Iranian dissidents in Iraq had already demonstrated in Geneva against the threat posed by Baghdad authorities to expel them under pressure from Tehran. One delegation was received at the headquarters of the ICRC.

When questioned, a spokeswoman for the ICRC said that the organization "is in contact with the authorities and is in contact with all parties concerned." The Iranian dissents have the protection of the multinational force since May 2003.

Editor's note: The above text is a direct translation from French of the Swiss national daily Le Courier.