Iraqi authorities continue to withhold any evidence to substantiate their claim that Alexander Aharonson is still alive. The Dutch-born Jew, sentenced to death by a Baghdad military tribunal as an alleged Israeli spy, was reported by the Iraqi news agency to have been hanged early this month. Official Iraqi sources deny that the execution has taken place.
The International Red Cross Committee reported today that it has been trying for a week without success to get permission for a Red Cross representative to visit Aharonson.
The Dutch Embassy in Baghdad was similarly denied permission to see Aharonson. The Iraqi Embassy in The Hague refused to accept a gift parcel from Aharonson’s mother on grounds that the prisoner was “an enemy of Iraq” and therefore not entitled to any parcels or assistance. The Dutch Foreign Minister has summoned the Iraqi Charge d’Affairs for another meeting to clarify Aharonson’s fats. At a previous meeting, the Iraqi official insisted that the death sentence on Aharonson had not been carried out. Aharonson, a nurse, was arrested in northern Iraq last March 24 while providing medical assistance to Kurds.
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