Middle East News
Spanish judge probes alleged massacre at Iranian camp in Iraq
Dec 1, 2009, 10:07 GMT
Madrid - A judge at Spain's National Court has launched an investigation into the alleged deaths of 11 Iranians during a police raid on an Iranian refugee camp in Iraq in July, the daily El Pais reported Tuesday.
Judge Fernando Andreu has asked Iraqi judicial authorities whether they are investigating allegations that Iraqi police used violence in their raid on Camp Ashraf in an attempt to establish a police station there.
Eleven people were allegedly killed and about 400 injured in the violence in the camp, which had housed thousands of members of the Iranian dissident group Mujahedin Khalq for two decades. Iraqi authorities blamed the violence on rioting by the refugees.
Spain recently approved a law limiting judges' authority to probe human rights cases abroad mainly to cases involving Spanish citizens or suspects present in Spain.
The Ashraf case has no link with Spain, but Andreu deemed himself competent to investigate it, arguing that it could violate the 1949 Geneva Convention on the humanitarian protection of civilians in war zones.
COMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in Middle East
- 1. Jerusalem prelate tells Arab Spring youth to have confidence
- 2. More than 100 killed in Syria ahead of ceasefire deadline
- 3. At least 43 killed in Syria, despite UN criticism
- 4. 19 killed in Syria as ceasefire deadline approaches
- 5. Pilgrims flock to Jerusalem for Easter, Passover
Older Talkback
