Iran backflips over journalist's death - World - www.theage.com.au
posted by Anonymous at 8:57 AM
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Friday, July 30, 2004
Montreal Gazette -Canada demands truth about Kazemi's death
posted by Anonymous at 3:24 AM
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Ebadi Accuses Top Officials of Murder Cover-Up
Agence France Presse, Reuters, Arab News
TEHRAN, 29 July 2004 — Iran’s Nobel laureate and human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi yesterday renewed her accusation that top officials in Iran’s hard-line judiciary had covered up the murder in custody of Canadian-Iranian photographer Zahra Kazemi.
A statement from the Nobel Peace Prize-winner and her team of lawyers who are representing Kazemi’s enraged family also urged the head of the Islamic republic’s judiciary to allow an independent probe into the controversial case.
The statement came after the judiciary claimed Kazemi’s death last July may have been an accident and not due to a beating. “We are insisting that the head of the judiciary appoint a special independent inquirer who is outside the supervision of the prosecution,” it said. “There is proof, including the statements of a number of witnesses present at the scene, saying a high-ranking official in Evin prison gave Zahra Kazemi a very strong punch to the left side of her head, breaking her skull,” it added.
“Why did the judiciary not welcome this suggestion? What we want to know is why some people want to cover it up,” demanded Ebadi and her team. “Why was the identity of the interrogator from 22:30 on 23 June to 0230 on June 24 concealed?” it asked. “Based on the papers in the case, the interrogation was conducted in the presence of Tehran’s public prosecutor and one of his deputies,” it added.
Tehran’s public prosecutor is Saeed Mortazavi, a hardliner who is also one of the most powerful figures inside the courts. “A number of guards identified who beat Zahra Kazemi, but after being threatened or bribed they changed their statements,” the statement said.
Ebadi was not immediately available to elaborate on the statement, which appeared to implicate Mortazavi in Kazemi’s killing. But speaking to AFP, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah — a member of her legal team — said the statement was merely raising questions rather than making allegations.
Extracts from a judiciary statement proposed a verdict of accidental death in the case of Kazemi. “The only option remaining for Kazemi’s death is it being an accident,” said the statement carried in the Sharq newspaper and on the ISNA students news agency.
The judiciary on Saturday acquitted an Iranian Intelligence Ministry agent on charges of “semi-intentional murder” and moved to close the case against him. That prompted protests from Canada, human rights groups and lawyers for Kazemi’s family.
“The glucose level in her blood must have dropped because of her hunger strike, she then fell to the side from a standing position and was struck,” the judiciary statement was reported to say. Iran’s reform-minded government on Monday volunteered to help the country’s judiciary find Kazemi’s killer, but the judiciary argued this was outside the government’s mandate.
TEHRAN, 29 July 2004 — Iran’s Nobel laureate and human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi yesterday renewed her accusation that top officials in Iran’s hard-line judiciary had covered up the murder in custody of Canadian-Iranian photographer Zahra Kazemi.
A statement from the Nobel Peace Prize-winner and her team of lawyers who are representing Kazemi’s enraged family also urged the head of the Islamic republic’s judiciary to allow an independent probe into the controversial case.
The statement came after the judiciary claimed Kazemi’s death last July may have been an accident and not due to a beating. “We are insisting that the head of the judiciary appoint a special independent inquirer who is outside the supervision of the prosecution,” it said. “There is proof, including the statements of a number of witnesses present at the scene, saying a high-ranking official in Evin prison gave Zahra Kazemi a very strong punch to the left side of her head, breaking her skull,” it added.
“Why did the judiciary not welcome this suggestion? What we want to know is why some people want to cover it up,” demanded Ebadi and her team. “Why was the identity of the interrogator from 22:30 on 23 June to 0230 on June 24 concealed?” it asked. “Based on the papers in the case, the interrogation was conducted in the presence of Tehran’s public prosecutor and one of his deputies,” it added.
Tehran’s public prosecutor is Saeed Mortazavi, a hardliner who is also one of the most powerful figures inside the courts. “A number of guards identified who beat Zahra Kazemi, but after being threatened or bribed they changed their statements,” the statement said.
Ebadi was not immediately available to elaborate on the statement, which appeared to implicate Mortazavi in Kazemi’s killing. But speaking to AFP, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah — a member of her legal team — said the statement was merely raising questions rather than making allegations.
Extracts from a judiciary statement proposed a verdict of accidental death in the case of Kazemi. “The only option remaining for Kazemi’s death is it being an accident,” said the statement carried in the Sharq newspaper and on the ISNA students news agency.
The judiciary on Saturday acquitted an Iranian Intelligence Ministry agent on charges of “semi-intentional murder” and moved to close the case against him. That prompted protests from Canada, human rights groups and lawyers for Kazemi’s family.
“The glucose level in her blood must have dropped because of her hunger strike, she then fell to the side from a standing position and was struck,” the judiciary statement was reported to say. Iran’s reform-minded government on Monday volunteered to help the country’s judiciary find Kazemi’s killer, but the judiciary argued this was outside the government’s mandate.
posted by Anonymous at 3:23 AM
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Justice system delivers new affront in the Zahra Kazemi case : imprimer
Reporters Without Borders said it was "astounded" at the 28 July 2004 statement by Iran's justice system that the death of Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi could have been "accidental". The international press freedom organisation joined the family's lawyers in calling on the head of the judiciary, Ayatollah Shahrudi, to name a judge independent of the Tehran prosecutor's office to review the entire file and reconstruct the facts in the case.
Reporters Without Borders said it was "astounded" at the 28 July 2004 statement by Iran's justice system that the death of Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi could have been "accidental".
The international press freedom organisation joined the family's lawyers in calling on the head of the judiciary, Ayatollah Shahrudi, to name a judge independent of the Tehran prosecutor's office to review the entire file and reconstruct the facts in the case.
"Reporters Without Borders cannot find words strong enough to describe the latest statements from the Iranian justice system. They dare to say that, since the man responsible for Kazemi's murder was acquitted - at a rigged trial - it proves that Zahra Kazemi died accidentally !
"This reasoning goes beyond the ridiculous and amounts to an affront. We join the lawyers in calling for a judge independent of the prosecutor's office, which is implicated in this case, for a full investigation of this murder that the legal authorities are trying to dress up as an accident, " said the organisation.
Kazemi was arrested on 23 June 2003 while taking photographs of families of inmates in front of Evin Prison in the north of Tehran. She was beaten in detention and died from her injuries on 10 July. After first trying to hide the cause of death, the Iranian authorities admitted on 16 July that she had been "beaten".
Intelligence official Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, one of those who interrogated Kazemi in custody, was charged and then acquitted on 24 July 2004.
During the trial, the family's lawyers called for evidence to be given in court by Mohammad Bakshi, an agent at Evin Prison under the control of the Tehran prosecutor ; Said Mortazavi, Tehran prosecutor ; and five top legal officials who were present at the interrogation.
The Tehran court rejected the request and dispatched the trial in two days. However various Iranian investigative commissions have implicated these legal officials.
In a statement released on 28 July, the family's lawyers' collective, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi, urged the head of the judiciary Ayatollah Shahrudi, to name a judge independent of the prosecutor's office to review the entire file and allow an genuine reconstruction of the murder.
The statement also put a series of questions :
"It has been proved, including in statements from several witnesses present at the scene, that a senior official at Evin Prison struck Zahra Kazemi a very heavy blow on the left side of her head that broke her skull. We want to know why certain people want to cover up this case.
Why was the identity not revealed of an interrogator of Zahra Kazemi, from 23 June at 10.30pm to 24 June at 2.30am, although the interrogation took place in the presence of the prosecutor and one of his assistants ?
Why were the records of the interrogation falsified ?
Why was the intelligence services proposal to take part in reconstruction of the murder scene not taken into account ?"
Reporters Without Borders is also maintaining its demand for Kazemi's body to be repatriated to Canada, in accordance with the wishes of her son and for an autopsy to be carried out there.
posted by Anonymous at 3:22 AM
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Washington Blade Online:International anti-gay violence on the rise: reports
...
In several countries — including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Mauritania, Sudan, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen and parts of Nigeria — homosexuality is punishable by death. In many others, sodomy can result in prison sentences.
...
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In several countries — including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Mauritania, Sudan, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen and parts of Nigeria — homosexuality is punishable by death. In many others, sodomy can result in prison sentences.
...
more
posted by Anonymous at 3:21 AM
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OhmyNews International. Every week two publications are shutdown by the Islamic regime, 43 journalists languish in jail
Iranian journalists handcuffed themselves together as a symbol of solidarity against state censorship, at a July 26 gathering at the Association of Journalists in Tehran.
Although government-backed hardliners also tried to disrupt the event, the meeting ended with speeches by Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian lawyer, human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, among other speakers, on the escalation of newspapers closures by the government in recent weeks.
Iranian journalists have staged frequent protests but each time faced raids and arrests. Some of the most recent newspaper bans are due to their oblique references to hunger strikes by political prisoners who allegedly were mistreated by guards.
Earlier this spring, young women journalists banded together with independent women's rights and freedom of speech groups to object to the sexist portrayal of Iranian women on state radio and television productions. Many at the gathering were arrested.
Meanwhile, Said Mortazavi, the hardline prosecutor who is accused of complicity in the murder of Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Sahra Kasemi, continued his campaign to shut down one newspaper after another.
more
posted by Anonymous at 3:19 AM
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Thursday, July 29, 2004
Winnipeg Sun: NEWS - Feds slam Iranian Kazemi claim
OTTAWA -- Canada has blasted a claim by Iran's judiciary that Zahra Kazemi's death was "accidental" and is renewing demands the country launch a new murder investigation. "The new theory being advanced by the Iranian judiciary has no credibility, and hardly deserves to be dignified with any comment," Foreign Affairs spokesman Reynald Doiron said yesterday.
Tension between Ottawa and Tehran continued to boil over the Kazemi case yesterday, after hard-line Iranian judiciary officials announced the Montreal photojournalist died in custody from a fall after her blood pressure dropped during a hunger strike. The statement comes just days after the secret agent charged with her death was acquitted for "lack of evidence."
Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew was unavailable for comment yesterday, but Doiron said Canada will continues to fight for justice.
"We continue to demand transparent, credible justice and the return of Ms. Kazemi's body in accordance with the wishes of her family," he said. "We will work with partners to urge Iran to change its general comportment on human rights issues."
Conservative MP Stockwell Day called the Iranian judiciary's dramatic shift a "very disturbing situation" and slammed Pierre Pettigrew's response.
"They are sending what they hope will be their final signal that they absolutely do not care about our concerns on this case," he said. "This is adding insult to injury. It's a cruel joke, and once again we have nothing but anemic responses from our government."
Liberal foot-dragging has allowed the situation to worsen and permitted Iran to defy international laws on human rights, Day charged.
NDP Leader Jack Layton said Ottawa must announce an immediate timetable with specific steps it intends to take to show Canada is serious -- including cutting diplomatic ties and imposing trade sanctions.
"We should be ramping up our diplomatic actions," he said. "There's lots of business being done between Iran and Canada. Are we saying it's business as usual while a Canadian fatality under these terrible circumstances goes unaddressed in an appropriate way by the Iranian government? We don't think so."
Tension between Ottawa and Tehran continued to boil over the Kazemi case yesterday, after hard-line Iranian judiciary officials announced the Montreal photojournalist died in custody from a fall after her blood pressure dropped during a hunger strike. The statement comes just days after the secret agent charged with her death was acquitted for "lack of evidence."
Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew was unavailable for comment yesterday, but Doiron said Canada will continues to fight for justice.
"We continue to demand transparent, credible justice and the return of Ms. Kazemi's body in accordance with the wishes of her family," he said. "We will work with partners to urge Iran to change its general comportment on human rights issues."
Conservative MP Stockwell Day called the Iranian judiciary's dramatic shift a "very disturbing situation" and slammed Pierre Pettigrew's response.
"They are sending what they hope will be their final signal that they absolutely do not care about our concerns on this case," he said. "This is adding insult to injury. It's a cruel joke, and once again we have nothing but anemic responses from our government."
Liberal foot-dragging has allowed the situation to worsen and permitted Iran to defy international laws on human rights, Day charged.
NDP Leader Jack Layton said Ottawa must announce an immediate timetable with specific steps it intends to take to show Canada is serious -- including cutting diplomatic ties and imposing trade sanctions.
"We should be ramping up our diplomatic actions," he said. "There's lots of business being done between Iran and Canada. Are we saying it's business as usual while a Canadian fatality under these terrible circumstances goes unaddressed in an appropriate way by the Iranian government? We don't think so."
posted by Anonymous at 6:41 AM
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BBC NEWS | Middle East | Canada rejects jail death theory
Canada has dismissed the latest explanation from Iran's judiciary concerning the death last year of Canadian journalist Zahra Kazemi.
The claim that Kazemi's death in custody was an accident had "no credibility", the foreign affairs ministry said.
The Iranian-born journalist was arrested after taking photos outside a Tehran jail.
An intelligence officer was acquitted of her murder last Saturday.
"Justice demands that a new inquiry be conducted, and conducted in a credible fashion," ministry spokesman Reynald Doiron was quoted by the AP news agency as saying.
Kazemi died in hospital in the capital on 10 July after falling into a coma, having received head injuries during more than three days of interrogation.
Kazemi 'fell'
The judiciary cleared suspect Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, an intelligence ministry agent, of her killing "due to lack of sufficient evidence".
A statement from the Iranian judiciary said that as the "sole defendant" in the case had been acquitted, there remained only one option to explain the death.
"This is that the incident leading to the death of the late Kazemi was because of a drop in her blood pressure caused by her hunger strike, thus making her fall from a standing position and get hurt," the statement said.
Both Kazemi's family and reformists in Iran have said the trial was part of a cover-up to protect a high ranking official in the conservative-controlled judiciary.
The BBC's Jim Muir in Tehran says an official has been widely named in the Iranian press and political circles as the man who struck the fatal blow or blows which killed Ms Kazemi, but the courts have so far refused to follow it up.
The case has caused a deep rift within Iranian political circles and outraged human rights organisations.
Reformist President Mohammad Khatami had also said he believed Mr Ahmadi was innocent and called on the judiciary to identify "the real guilty person".
The case soured relations between Iran and Canada and Ottawa recalled its ambassador in protest.
On Tuesday, Canada said it would ask the European Union and the United Nations to put pressure on Iran to resolve the case.
The claim that Kazemi's death in custody was an accident had "no credibility", the foreign affairs ministry said.
The Iranian-born journalist was arrested after taking photos outside a Tehran jail.
An intelligence officer was acquitted of her murder last Saturday.
"Justice demands that a new inquiry be conducted, and conducted in a credible fashion," ministry spokesman Reynald Doiron was quoted by the AP news agency as saying.
Kazemi died in hospital in the capital on 10 July after falling into a coma, having received head injuries during more than three days of interrogation.
Kazemi 'fell'
The judiciary cleared suspect Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, an intelligence ministry agent, of her killing "due to lack of sufficient evidence".
A statement from the Iranian judiciary said that as the "sole defendant" in the case had been acquitted, there remained only one option to explain the death.
"This is that the incident leading to the death of the late Kazemi was because of a drop in her blood pressure caused by her hunger strike, thus making her fall from a standing position and get hurt," the statement said.
Both Kazemi's family and reformists in Iran have said the trial was part of a cover-up to protect a high ranking official in the conservative-controlled judiciary.
The BBC's Jim Muir in Tehran says an official has been widely named in the Iranian press and political circles as the man who struck the fatal blow or blows which killed Ms Kazemi, but the courts have so far refused to follow it up.
The case has caused a deep rift within Iranian political circles and outraged human rights organisations.
Reformist President Mohammad Khatami had also said he believed Mr Ahmadi was innocent and called on the judiciary to identify "the real guilty person".
The case soured relations between Iran and Canada and Ottawa recalled its ambassador in protest.
On Tuesday, Canada said it would ask the European Union and the United Nations to put pressure on Iran to resolve the case.
posted by Anonymous at 6:40 AM
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Wednesday, July 28, 2004
European Union challenged about the Middle East's biggest prison for journalists
Reporters Without Borders today addressed an open letter to the European Union asking about the EU delegation that was in Tehran on 14-15 June taking part in a dialogue about human rights with the Islamic Republic. The organisation criticised the continuing threats against members of the news media and the deterioration in the situation of imprisoned journalists.
"This dialogue, launched in 2001, has not yet led to any decrease in repression but it allows the Iranian regime to maintain 'good relations' with the European countries," Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Robert Ménard pointed out in his letter.
"Reporters Without Borders would like to ask you in future to take account of the reports and recommendations provided by the independent and representative organisations of Iranian civil society," the letter said, urging the European Union to adopt a "firm position" with the Iranian authorities as regards putting a stop to the repression.
"We point out that 120 newspapers have been banned since 2001, more than 50 journalists have been detained and 11 are still in detention, making Iran the biggest prison for journalists in the Middle East," the letter continued. "One wonders what to make of the Iranian government's remark on 20 June that it is the European Union that should learn from Iran about human rights."
Eleven journalists are currently in prison :
Akbar Ganji, a journalist with Sobh-e Emrouz, held since 22 April 2000
Hassan Youssefi Echkevari of Iran-e Farda, held since 5 August 2000
Hossein Ghazian of Norooz, held since 31 October 2002
Abbas Abdi of Salam, held since 4 November 2002
Ali-Reza Jabari of Adineh, held since 17 March 2003
Siamak Pourzand, a contributor to several independent newspapers, held since 30 Mars 2003
Taghi Rahmani of Omid-e Zangan, held since 14 June 2003
Reza Alijani, the editor of Iran-e Farda and winner of the Reporters Without Borders-Fondation de France prize, held since 14 June 2003
Hoda Saber, managing editor of Iran-e Farda, held since 14 June 2003
Iraj Jamshidi, editor of the business daily Asia, held since 6 July 2003
Ensafali Hedayat, a freelance journalist held since 16 January 2004.
On 20 June, the lawyers of Reza Alijani, Taghi Rahmani and Hoda Saber addressed an open letter to the head of the Iranian justice system, Ayatollah Shahroudi, protesting against the irregularity and illegality of their clients' arrests, trials and prison conditions. They described the mistreatment and torture undergone by the clients, reporting that, "They were interrogated, insulted and beaten for hours to make them 'confess' to the charges brought against them." The lawyers also said they never had access to their clients' files, they could not talk to their clients and they received no official notification of their clients' conviction.
Reporters Without Borders is also very concerned about the disappearance of journalist Iraj Jamshidi, who was imprisoned on 6 July 2003. There has been no word of him for some time. On the eve of the visit of UN special rapporteur Ambeyi Ligabo from 4 to 11 November 2003, Jamshidi was transferred from his solitary confinement cell in the basement of Evin prison to a communal cell but was subsequently moved back to the basement. He has received only one visit in almost a year, coinciding with the special rapporteur's visit, and he has still not been tried.
Journalists continue to be summoned and arrested despite the European delegation's visit to Tehran. Emadoldin Baghi, a journalist and rights activist, has been summoned to appear today before the Tehran revolutionary tribunal. Sentenced to three years in prison in October 2000, Baghi has been an active press freedom campaigner since his release last year and has created an organisation that defends prisoners of conscience. As he was given a one-year suspended sentenced on 4 December 2003, he is in danger of being re-imprisoned.
Iranian journalists in exile in Europe continue to be subject to pressure from the Iranian judicial authorities. Such is the case of Sina Motallebi, a journalist with the reformist daily Hayat-e Now and moderator of the website www.rooznegar.com, now in exile in the Netherlands. Motallebi was arrested and held in solitary confinement from 20 April to 12 May for allegedly "jeopardizing national security by means of an artistic activity."
The Iranian authorities have been embarrassed by the accounts of his personal experiences which Motallebi has given since leaving Iran. He has not hesitated to talk about his arbitrary arrest, the ban on his access to a lawyer, the confessions that were extorted from him, and the fact that he was held in secret for several weeks in Evin prison. Motallebi spoke at a press conference on 8 June at Reporters Without Borders headquarters in Paris. The account he gave of his imprisonment was reported by the print media and the Franco-German television station ARTE. His father was summoned by the judicial authorities in Tehran the next day. The authorities have said that if Motallebi does not turn up for his trial, set for 19 July, his father will be required to pay on-the-spot bail of 30 million tomans (about 30,000 euros at the official rate).
"This dialogue, launched in 2001, has not yet led to any decrease in repression but it allows the Iranian regime to maintain 'good relations' with the European countries," Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Robert Ménard pointed out in his letter.
"Reporters Without Borders would like to ask you in future to take account of the reports and recommendations provided by the independent and representative organisations of Iranian civil society," the letter said, urging the European Union to adopt a "firm position" with the Iranian authorities as regards putting a stop to the repression.
"We point out that 120 newspapers have been banned since 2001, more than 50 journalists have been detained and 11 are still in detention, making Iran the biggest prison for journalists in the Middle East," the letter continued. "One wonders what to make of the Iranian government's remark on 20 June that it is the European Union that should learn from Iran about human rights."
Eleven journalists are currently in prison :
Akbar Ganji, a journalist with Sobh-e Emrouz, held since 22 April 2000
Hassan Youssefi Echkevari of Iran-e Farda, held since 5 August 2000
Hossein Ghazian of Norooz, held since 31 October 2002
Abbas Abdi of Salam, held since 4 November 2002
Ali-Reza Jabari of Adineh, held since 17 March 2003
Siamak Pourzand, a contributor to several independent newspapers, held since 30 Mars 2003
Taghi Rahmani of Omid-e Zangan, held since 14 June 2003
Reza Alijani, the editor of Iran-e Farda and winner of the Reporters Without Borders-Fondation de France prize, held since 14 June 2003
Hoda Saber, managing editor of Iran-e Farda, held since 14 June 2003
Iraj Jamshidi, editor of the business daily Asia, held since 6 July 2003
Ensafali Hedayat, a freelance journalist held since 16 January 2004.
On 20 June, the lawyers of Reza Alijani, Taghi Rahmani and Hoda Saber addressed an open letter to the head of the Iranian justice system, Ayatollah Shahroudi, protesting against the irregularity and illegality of their clients' arrests, trials and prison conditions. They described the mistreatment and torture undergone by the clients, reporting that, "They were interrogated, insulted and beaten for hours to make them 'confess' to the charges brought against them." The lawyers also said they never had access to their clients' files, they could not talk to their clients and they received no official notification of their clients' conviction.
Reporters Without Borders is also very concerned about the disappearance of journalist Iraj Jamshidi, who was imprisoned on 6 July 2003. There has been no word of him for some time. On the eve of the visit of UN special rapporteur Ambeyi Ligabo from 4 to 11 November 2003, Jamshidi was transferred from his solitary confinement cell in the basement of Evin prison to a communal cell but was subsequently moved back to the basement. He has received only one visit in almost a year, coinciding with the special rapporteur's visit, and he has still not been tried.
Journalists continue to be summoned and arrested despite the European delegation's visit to Tehran. Emadoldin Baghi, a journalist and rights activist, has been summoned to appear today before the Tehran revolutionary tribunal. Sentenced to three years in prison in October 2000, Baghi has been an active press freedom campaigner since his release last year and has created an organisation that defends prisoners of conscience. As he was given a one-year suspended sentenced on 4 December 2003, he is in danger of being re-imprisoned.
Iranian journalists in exile in Europe continue to be subject to pressure from the Iranian judicial authorities. Such is the case of Sina Motallebi, a journalist with the reformist daily Hayat-e Now and moderator of the website www.rooznegar.com, now in exile in the Netherlands. Motallebi was arrested and held in solitary confinement from 20 April to 12 May for allegedly "jeopardizing national security by means of an artistic activity."
The Iranian authorities have been embarrassed by the accounts of his personal experiences which Motallebi has given since leaving Iran. He has not hesitated to talk about his arbitrary arrest, the ban on his access to a lawyer, the confessions that were extorted from him, and the fact that he was held in secret for several weeks in Evin prison. Motallebi spoke at a press conference on 8 June at Reporters Without Borders headquarters in Paris. The account he gave of his imprisonment was reported by the print media and the Franco-German television station ARTE. His father was summoned by the judicial authorities in Tehran the next day. The authorities have said that if Motallebi does not turn up for his trial, set for 19 July, his father will be required to pay on-the-spot bail of 30 million tomans (about 30,000 euros at the official rate).
posted by Anonymous at 3:22 AM
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Reuters AlertNet - Canada wants EU to lobby Iran on journalist trial
By Charles Grandmont
MONTREAL, July 27 (Reuters) - Canada said on Tuesday it would ask the European Union and the United Nations to put pressure on Iran to clear up the case of a Canadian photographer killed in custody in Tehran.
Zahra Kazemi, 54, was arrested a year ago for taking photographs outside Tehran's Evin prison, and she died from a blow to the head after her detention.
Last Saturday the Iranian judiciary acquitted an Intelligence Ministry agent accused of killing Kazemi, prompting a protest from Ottawa. Lawyers for the family said they would appeal the decision.
"We need to know what happened and we will work with our partners around the world, the European Union, the United Nations, to increase pressure on Iran," Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew told reporters. He gave no details.
"We are dead(ly) serious about this, we want the truth to come out," he said before a meeting with Stephan Hachemi, son of the slain photographer.
Canada withdrew its ambassador from Iran after the envoy was barred from attending the trial. Hachemi wants Ottawa to take a much tougher line and has suggested downgrading relations with Iran or imposing sanctions.
"Until now we have seen no engagement by the government. We've only seen strong words and symbolic gestures which have had no concrete results," he told reporters.
But asked if Ottawa would expel the Iranian ambassador, Pettigrew replied: "We are not there."
Imposing sanctions would appear to make little sense, since Canada only bought C$63 million ($47 million) of imports from Iran last year.
Canadian officials, human rights groups and lawyers for Kazemi have accused Iran's judiciary of covering up evidence pointing to the involvement of judiciary officials in the death.
"I hope very much that they grant the appeal that the family has requested and that the new trial is this time really serious, that they accept to hear all of the witnesses that should be heard in that particular case," Pettigrew said.
Iran's reformist government volunteered on Monday to help the judiciary find out who killed Kazemi.
MONTREAL, July 27 (Reuters) - Canada said on Tuesday it would ask the European Union and the United Nations to put pressure on Iran to clear up the case of a Canadian photographer killed in custody in Tehran.
Zahra Kazemi, 54, was arrested a year ago for taking photographs outside Tehran's Evin prison, and she died from a blow to the head after her detention.
Last Saturday the Iranian judiciary acquitted an Intelligence Ministry agent accused of killing Kazemi, prompting a protest from Ottawa. Lawyers for the family said they would appeal the decision.
"We need to know what happened and we will work with our partners around the world, the European Union, the United Nations, to increase pressure on Iran," Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew told reporters. He gave no details.
"We are dead(ly) serious about this, we want the truth to come out," he said before a meeting with Stephan Hachemi, son of the slain photographer.
Canada withdrew its ambassador from Iran after the envoy was barred from attending the trial. Hachemi wants Ottawa to take a much tougher line and has suggested downgrading relations with Iran or imposing sanctions.
"Until now we have seen no engagement by the government. We've only seen strong words and symbolic gestures which have had no concrete results," he told reporters.
But asked if Ottawa would expel the Iranian ambassador, Pettigrew replied: "We are not there."
Imposing sanctions would appear to make little sense, since Canada only bought C$63 million ($47 million) of imports from Iran last year.
Canadian officials, human rights groups and lawyers for Kazemi have accused Iran's judiciary of covering up evidence pointing to the involvement of judiciary officials in the death.
"I hope very much that they grant the appeal that the family has requested and that the new trial is this time really serious, that they accept to hear all of the witnesses that should be heard in that particular case," Pettigrew said.
Iran's reformist government volunteered on Monday to help the judiciary find out who killed Kazemi.
posted by Anonymous at 2:55 AM
2 comments
CTV.ca | CTV News, Kazemi's son wants Iranian ambassador expelled
posted by Anonymous at 2:53 AM
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London Free Press: News Section - Kazemi's son demands action
JIM BROWN, CP 2004-07-28 02:02:59
OTTAWA -- Iran's ambassador to Ottawa should be kicked out in protest over his country's failure to bring the killers of Zahra Kazemi to justice, says the son of the slain journalist. "The Iranian ambassador has nothing to do in Canada right now," Stephan Hachemi said at a news conference yesterday.
"He should be expelled. The embassy should be closed."
Hachemi made the appeal just before he was to meet Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew, who has been slow to decide on concrete action to show Ottawa's displeasure with the Iranian government in Tehran.
Canadian officials have said they are considering a range of diplomatic pressure tactics, but haven't indicated expelling ambassador Mohammad Ali Mousavi is among them.
They are, however, studying the possibility of taking the Kazemi case to the International Court of Justice at The Hague -- another demand made by Hachemi and his lawyer John Terry.
"This case is imbued with international human rights issues," said Terry. "We're talking about torture, wrongful detention, extra-judicial killing."
He acknowledged that, even if the court ruled against Iran, it has no way of forcing Tehran to abide by the ruling.
But a court case is still one of the most effective pressure tactics Pettigrew has at his disposal, said Terry.
"A decision in Canada's favour at the ICJ would be condemnation (of Iran) at the very highest level of the international judicial system."
Kazemi was arrested in June 2003 while taking photos outside Evin prison in Tehran. She died of a fractured skull and brain hemorrhage while in detention last July.
On Saturday a Tehran court cleared secret agent Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, the sole defendant, of killing Kazemi.
In Geneva yesterday, a panel of United Nations human rights experts expressed their "profound" concern about Iranian legal proceedings in the Kazemi case.
"Many reports indicate that the proceedings did not meet international standards of fair trial because key evidence that might have incriminated judiciary officials, the prosecutor's office as well as the intelligence ministry were ignored by the court," said a UN statement.
The expert panel -- made up of specialists in free speech, torture and independent judges -- said Iranian authorities failed to ensure an open trial and the independent judiciary.
The UN experts said they fear Iranian authorities "are favouring a climate of impunity for law-enforcement officials and setting the ground for the recurrence of similar human-rights violations in the future."
OTTAWA -- Iran's ambassador to Ottawa should be kicked out in protest over his country's failure to bring the killers of Zahra Kazemi to justice, says the son of the slain journalist. "The Iranian ambassador has nothing to do in Canada right now," Stephan Hachemi said at a news conference yesterday.
"He should be expelled. The embassy should be closed."
Hachemi made the appeal just before he was to meet Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew, who has been slow to decide on concrete action to show Ottawa's displeasure with the Iranian government in Tehran.
Canadian officials have said they are considering a range of diplomatic pressure tactics, but haven't indicated expelling ambassador Mohammad Ali Mousavi is among them.
They are, however, studying the possibility of taking the Kazemi case to the International Court of Justice at The Hague -- another demand made by Hachemi and his lawyer John Terry.
"This case is imbued with international human rights issues," said Terry. "We're talking about torture, wrongful detention, extra-judicial killing."
He acknowledged that, even if the court ruled against Iran, it has no way of forcing Tehran to abide by the ruling.
But a court case is still one of the most effective pressure tactics Pettigrew has at his disposal, said Terry.
"A decision in Canada's favour at the ICJ would be condemnation (of Iran) at the very highest level of the international judicial system."
Kazemi was arrested in June 2003 while taking photos outside Evin prison in Tehran. She died of a fractured skull and brain hemorrhage while in detention last July.
On Saturday a Tehran court cleared secret agent Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, the sole defendant, of killing Kazemi.
In Geneva yesterday, a panel of United Nations human rights experts expressed their "profound" concern about Iranian legal proceedings in the Kazemi case.
"Many reports indicate that the proceedings did not meet international standards of fair trial because key evidence that might have incriminated judiciary officials, the prosecutor's office as well as the intelligence ministry were ignored by the court," said a UN statement.
The expert panel -- made up of specialists in free speech, torture and independent judges -- said Iranian authorities failed to ensure an open trial and the independent judiciary.
The UN experts said they fear Iranian authorities "are favouring a climate of impunity for law-enforcement officials and setting the ground for the recurrence of similar human-rights violations in the future."
posted by Anonymous at 2:52 AM
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TheStar.com - Canada wants Iran to order new Kazemi trial
U.N. rights experts say key evidence ignored
Journalist's son says Pettigrew `has failed me'
MIRO CERNETIG
IN MONTREAL
Iran must begin another trial into the torture and murder of Zahra Kazemi, Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew said yesterday, calling the first attempt to find the 54-year-old journalist's killers an "outrage."
Although he offered no details of what Canada might do to press the Iranian courts, Pettigrew vowed not to let the killing be forgotten.
"Canada has been taking a very strong stand," he said in Montreal, citing the recall of Canada's ambassador, Philip MacKinnon, from Tehran last week.
"We are dead serious about this. We want the truth to come out. We're in for the long run. We will not let go."
An Iranian court on Saturday acquitted a man charged with the July 10, 2003, murder of Kazemi, a Canadian photojournalist who was beaten to death in an Iranian prison.
Lawyers for the family said they would appeal the decision.
In Geneva, U.N. human-rights experts yesterday expressed their "profound" concern about Iranian legal proceedings in the death of Kazemi.
"Many reports indicate that the proceedings did not meet international standards of fair trial because key evidence that might have incriminated judiciary officials, the prosecutor's office as well as the intelligence ministry were ignored by the court," said a U.N. statement.
In Ottawa, Stephan Hachemi, Kazemi's son, told reporters before his meeting with Pettigrew that Canada should expel Iran's ambassador and take the case to the International Court of Justice.
But Hachemi later emerged disappointed from his meeting, saying Pettigrew "didn't specifically commit to any of my suggestions.
"Until I hear his commitment, he has failed me, he has failed my mother and he has failed human rights."
Asked earlier yesterday if Ottawa would expel the Iranian ambassador, Pettigrew said: "We are not there."
Journalist's son says Pettigrew `has failed me'
MIRO CERNETIG
IN MONTREAL
Iran must begin another trial into the torture and murder of Zahra Kazemi, Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew said yesterday, calling the first attempt to find the 54-year-old journalist's killers an "outrage."
Although he offered no details of what Canada might do to press the Iranian courts, Pettigrew vowed not to let the killing be forgotten.
"Canada has been taking a very strong stand," he said in Montreal, citing the recall of Canada's ambassador, Philip MacKinnon, from Tehran last week.
"We are dead serious about this. We want the truth to come out. We're in for the long run. We will not let go."
An Iranian court on Saturday acquitted a man charged with the July 10, 2003, murder of Kazemi, a Canadian photojournalist who was beaten to death in an Iranian prison.
Lawyers for the family said they would appeal the decision.
In Geneva, U.N. human-rights experts yesterday expressed their "profound" concern about Iranian legal proceedings in the death of Kazemi.
"Many reports indicate that the proceedings did not meet international standards of fair trial because key evidence that might have incriminated judiciary officials, the prosecutor's office as well as the intelligence ministry were ignored by the court," said a U.N. statement.
In Ottawa, Stephan Hachemi, Kazemi's son, told reporters before his meeting with Pettigrew that Canada should expel Iran's ambassador and take the case to the International Court of Justice.
But Hachemi later emerged disappointed from his meeting, saying Pettigrew "didn't specifically commit to any of my suggestions.
"Until I hear his commitment, he has failed me, he has failed my mother and he has failed human rights."
Asked earlier yesterday if Ottawa would expel the Iranian ambassador, Pettigrew said: "We are not there."
posted by Anonymous at 2:51 AM
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Hunger strike led to Iranian-Cdn photojournalist's death: Iran's judiciary
ALI AKBAR DAREINI
TEHRAN, Iran (CP) - Iran's judiciary claimed Wednesday Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi died in custody from a fall after her blood pressure dropped during a hunger strike, a sharp shift in position on a case that has strained relations between Tehran and Ottawa since her death a year ago.
The judiciary also denounced President Mohammad Khatami's reformist administration, which offered Monday to help identify the murderer of Zahra Kazemi, accusing it of providing fuel for a "spiteful" foreign media.
"The death of Mrs. Zahra Kazemi was an accident," according to a judiciary statement, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press.
"With the acquittal of the sole defendant, only one option is left: the death of the late Kazemi was an accident due to fall in blood pressure resulting from a hunger strike and her fall on the ground while standing," the statement said.
more
TEHRAN, Iran (CP) - Iran's judiciary claimed Wednesday Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi died in custody from a fall after her blood pressure dropped during a hunger strike, a sharp shift in position on a case that has strained relations between Tehran and Ottawa since her death a year ago.
The judiciary also denounced President Mohammad Khatami's reformist administration, which offered Monday to help identify the murderer of Zahra Kazemi, accusing it of providing fuel for a "spiteful" foreign media.
"The death of Mrs. Zahra Kazemi was an accident," according to a judiciary statement, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press.
"With the acquittal of the sole defendant, only one option is left: the death of the late Kazemi was an accident due to fall in blood pressure resulting from a hunger strike and her fall on the ground while standing," the statement said.
more
posted by Anonymous at 2:50 AM
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Tuesday, July 27, 2004
BBC NEWS | Middle East | Iran 'killer of rapist' reprieved
posted by Anonymous at 12:55 PM
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Reporters Without Borders backs journalists' protest calling for press freedom
Reporters sans frontieres - Iran
Reporters Without Borders declared its "firm" support for a sit-in by more than 200 journalists in Teheran on 26 July that it called a "courageous and determined" protest against the suspension a week earlier of reformist daily papers Vaghayeh ettefaghieh and Jomhouriat and against new pressure from the hardline judiciary to purge the media.
"Threats to press freedom have increased since the hijacking of last February's parliamentary elections by the regime's hardliners," it said. "The Teheran chief prosecutor, Said Mortazavi, has launched a new effort to silence the press because despite the shutdown of more than 120 reformist newspapers in four years and continual summoning and imprisonment of journalists, the media has successfully fought back."
The worldwide press freedom organisation said Mortazavi, who has the full support of the country's Supreme Guide, had drawn up a black list to try to stop journalists on papers that were closed from working on other papers. "This is a clever trick to gag all reformist journalists and we strongly condemn such blackmailing of newspapers by the judiciary," it said.
The sit-in was staged in front of the headquarters of the Association of Iranian Journalists and was joined by civil society figures including lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi and the families of imprisoned journalists. An open letter was sent to Culture and Islamic guidance minister Ahmad Masjed Jamei and labour minister Nasser Khaleghi, both reformists, noting that the efforts to silence journalists violated articles 22, 28 and 43 of the national constitution, as well as the right to work and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Vaghayeh ettefaghieh was suspended indefinitely on 17 July for "anti-regime propaganda," publishing "false news" and "insulting the Supreme Guide." The paper, largely staffed by journalists from the reformist daily Yas-e no, which was suspended on 18 February on the eve of the parliamentary elections, has sharply criticised the hardliners and the new parliament dominated by their supporters. The suspension order from Mortazavi mentioned that the paper was staffed by journalists from Yas-e no.
Jomhouriat, a new paper which has only published 12 issues, was suspended on 18 July for the same reasons, a few days after publisher Javad Khorami Moaghadam had been summoned by Mortazavi, who demanded in vain that he sack the paper's editor, Emadoldin Baghi, a leading reformist media figure and rights activist.
Reporters Without Borders declared its "firm" support for a sit-in by more than 200 journalists in Teheran on 26 July that it called a "courageous and determined" protest against the suspension a week earlier of reformist daily papers Vaghayeh ettefaghieh and Jomhouriat and against new pressure from the hardline judiciary to purge the media.
"Threats to press freedom have increased since the hijacking of last February's parliamentary elections by the regime's hardliners," it said. "The Teheran chief prosecutor, Said Mortazavi, has launched a new effort to silence the press because despite the shutdown of more than 120 reformist newspapers in four years and continual summoning and imprisonment of journalists, the media has successfully fought back."
The worldwide press freedom organisation said Mortazavi, who has the full support of the country's Supreme Guide, had drawn up a black list to try to stop journalists on papers that were closed from working on other papers. "This is a clever trick to gag all reformist journalists and we strongly condemn such blackmailing of newspapers by the judiciary," it said.
The sit-in was staged in front of the headquarters of the Association of Iranian Journalists and was joined by civil society figures including lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi and the families of imprisoned journalists. An open letter was sent to Culture and Islamic guidance minister Ahmad Masjed Jamei and labour minister Nasser Khaleghi, both reformists, noting that the efforts to silence journalists violated articles 22, 28 and 43 of the national constitution, as well as the right to work and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Vaghayeh ettefaghieh was suspended indefinitely on 17 July for "anti-regime propaganda," publishing "false news" and "insulting the Supreme Guide." The paper, largely staffed by journalists from the reformist daily Yas-e no, which was suspended on 18 February on the eve of the parliamentary elections, has sharply criticised the hardliners and the new parliament dominated by their supporters. The suspension order from Mortazavi mentioned that the paper was staffed by journalists from Yas-e no.
Jomhouriat, a new paper which has only published 12 issues, was suspended on 18 July for the same reasons, a few days after publisher Javad Khorami Moaghadam had been summoned by Mortazavi, who demanded in vain that he sack the paper's editor, Emadoldin Baghi, a leading reformist media figure and rights activist.
posted by Anonymous at 12:50 PM
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Iranian Journalists Association holds open tribune to protest to banning, closure process of press
posted by Anonymous at 12:46 PM
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Key UN human-rights experts Tuesday expressed their 'profound' concern about Iranian legal proceedings in the death of Iranian-Canadian photojournali
National Post: "GENEVA -- Key UN human-rights experts Tuesday expressed their 'profound' concern about Iranian legal proceedings in the death of Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi.
'Many reports indicate that the proceedings did not meet international standards of fair trial because key evidence that might have incriminated judiciary officials, the prosecutor's office as well as the intelligence ministry were ignored by the court,' said a UN statement.
The UN experts - specialists in free speech, torture and independent judges - said Iranian authorities failed to ensure an open trial and the independent functioning of the judiciary.
The statement noted that journalists and other foreign observers were barred from full access to the courtroom from the third day of the trial.
The UN experts said they feared Iranian authorities 'are favouring a climate of impunity for law-enforcement officials and setting the ground for the recurrence of similar human-rights violations in the future.'
'They are strong statements, very negative comments about the situation in Iran,' Kazemi's son, Stephan Hachemi, said Tuesday in Montreal.
'They denounced clearly the coverup,' he said of the key UN members who made the report. 'In other words, what they are saying is that there is a coverup in Iran.'
Kazemi was arrested in June 2003 while working outside Evin prison in Tehran. She died of a fractured skull and brain hemorrhage while in detention last July.
A Tehran court Saturday cleared secret agent Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, the sole defendant, of killing Kazemi.
An Iranian judiciary statement released Monday said Ahmadi was acquitted 'due to lack of sufficient evidence,' the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.
Nobel laureate and lawye"
'Many reports indicate that the proceedings did not meet international standards of fair trial because key evidence that might have incriminated judiciary officials, the prosecutor's office as well as the intelligence ministry were ignored by the court,' said a UN statement.
The UN experts - specialists in free speech, torture and independent judges - said Iranian authorities failed to ensure an open trial and the independent functioning of the judiciary.
The statement noted that journalists and other foreign observers were barred from full access to the courtroom from the third day of the trial.
The UN experts said they feared Iranian authorities 'are favouring a climate of impunity for law-enforcement officials and setting the ground for the recurrence of similar human-rights violations in the future.'
'They are strong statements, very negative comments about the situation in Iran,' Kazemi's son, Stephan Hachemi, said Tuesday in Montreal.
'They denounced clearly the coverup,' he said of the key UN members who made the report. 'In other words, what they are saying is that there is a coverup in Iran.'
Kazemi was arrested in June 2003 while working outside Evin prison in Tehran. She died of a fractured skull and brain hemorrhage while in detention last July.
A Tehran court Saturday cleared secret agent Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, the sole defendant, of killing Kazemi.
An Iranian judiciary statement released Monday said Ahmadi was acquitted 'due to lack of sufficient evidence,' the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.
Nobel laureate and lawye"
posted by Anonymous at 12:44 PM
2 comments
Pettigrew comforts Kazemi family
Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham holds a news conference in Ottawa, Wednesday, July 14 with Stephan Hashemi, the son of Canadian journalist Zahra Kazemi who died in Iranian custody last year. (CP/Fred Chartrand)
But no action against Iran
Jim Brown
Canadian Press
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
OTTAWA -- Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew comforted the son of slain journalist Zahra Kazemi on Monday and told the Iranian ambassador that Canada remains determined to see her killers brought to justice.
Pettigrew offered, no clue, however, of what legal or diplomatic pressure tactics he's prepared to use in pursuit of that goal. Stockwell Day, the Conservative foreign affairs critic, accused the new minister of failing his first big test by not taking a tougher stand.
And in Tehran there were conflicting signals from Iranian hardliners and moderates on whether there would be any further investigation of Kazemi's death in prison more than a year ago.
Sebastien Theberge, a spokesman for Pettigrew, said the minister spoke by phone Monday to Kazemi's son Stephan Hachemi, who has been harshly critical of Ottawa's handling of the affair.
The minister "expressed once again his personal sympathy to the family," said Theberge.
He added that Pettigrew also phoned Mohammad Ali Mousavi, the Iranian ambassador who was travelling outside Ottawa, and "clearly reaffirmed the Canadian government's commitment to get justice for the death of Madam Kazemi."
There was no explanation of how Pettigrew intends to back up those words. Government officials say they are studying a range of options that include:
Taking the case to the International Court of Justice at The Hague.
Sponsoring a resolution at the United Nations denouncing the Iranian judicial system and its conduct of the Kazemi case.
Imposing trade sanctions, although officials admit that Iran-Canada trade may not be extensive enough to serve as much of a lever.
Kazemi, a Montreal-based freelance photojournalist who was born in Iran, died in custody last summer after being arrested for taking pictures during student-led protests.
Authorities in Tehran initially said she died of a stroke, but a presidential committee later found she died of a fractured skull and brain hemorrhage from a blow to the head.
Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, a government intelligence agent, was charged with "semi-premeditated murder" although lawyers for Kazemi's family expressed doubt he was the true culprit.
Ahmadi was acquitted Saturday, following a trial that saw Canadian Ambassador Philip Mackinnon barred from court after the first day. He was called home to Ottawa in protest.
Pettigrew, who took over the foreign affairs portfolio in a Liberal cabinet shuffle last week, has been cautious in his approach to the file.
By contrast, Conservative critic Day waded in Monday with a declaration that "the Iranian regime has trampled on the human rights and legal rights of the (Kazemi) family and have virtually spat on the government of Canada.
"By failing to take immediate and decisive action it appears that Mr. Pettigrew is failing his first test as foreign affairs minister."
posted by Anonymous at 3:58 AM
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Iran says it’s ready to find journalist’s killer
Daily Times
TEHRAN: Iran’s reformist government on Monday volunteered to help the hardline judiciary find out who killed a Canadian journalist who died in custody last year after being struck on the head. The judiciary on Saturday acquitted an Intelligence Ministry agent accused of killing Kazemi and moved to close the case, prompting protests from Ottawa, human rights groups and lawyers representing Kazemi’s family who want the case re-opened. They accuse the powerful and conservative judiciary of covering up key evidence pointing to the involvement of judiciary officials in Kazemi’s death. President Mohammad Khatami’s government has long been at odds with the judiciary over its handling of investigations into the death of Iranian-born Zahra Kazemi, 54, who was arrested for taking photographs of Tehran’s Evin prison. Judiciary and government on bad terms: Asked whether the reformist-run Intelligence Ministry had already identified who was responsible for Kazemi’s death, Ramazanzadeh said the ministry believed it “is able to identify (them) and is ready to do it.” Khatami’s government, which from the start proclaimed the innocence of the intelligence agent charged with killing Kazemi, constantly clashes with the judiciary which has jailed dozens of government supporters and closed scores of pro-government newspapers in the last four years. agencies
TEHRAN: Iran’s reformist government on Monday volunteered to help the hardline judiciary find out who killed a Canadian journalist who died in custody last year after being struck on the head. The judiciary on Saturday acquitted an Intelligence Ministry agent accused of killing Kazemi and moved to close the case, prompting protests from Ottawa, human rights groups and lawyers representing Kazemi’s family who want the case re-opened. They accuse the powerful and conservative judiciary of covering up key evidence pointing to the involvement of judiciary officials in Kazemi’s death. President Mohammad Khatami’s government has long been at odds with the judiciary over its handling of investigations into the death of Iranian-born Zahra Kazemi, 54, who was arrested for taking photographs of Tehran’s Evin prison. Judiciary and government on bad terms: Asked whether the reformist-run Intelligence Ministry had already identified who was responsible for Kazemi’s death, Ramazanzadeh said the ministry believed it “is able to identify (them) and is ready to do it.” Khatami’s government, which from the start proclaimed the innocence of the intelligence agent charged with killing Kazemi, constantly clashes with the judiciary which has jailed dozens of government supporters and closed scores of pro-government newspapers in the last four years. agencies
posted by Anonymous at 3:57 AM
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Iranian Prisoners End 21-Day Hunger Strike
Radio Farda Newsroom
Twelve political prisoners who had been on strike for the past 21 days at the Evin prison ended their strike today, at the urging of human rights organizations and their families, wife of strike leader Nasser Zarafshan tells Radio Farda.
July 25, 2004 - Political prisoners in the Evin prison’s cellblock one Sunday ended their hunger strike after 21 days, at he urging of their families and human rights advocates inside and outside Iran, the strikers announced in a statement. The judiciary officials denied the news of prisoners’ hunger strike, but postponed a planned visit to Tehran by a UH Human Rights Commission’s delegation charged with investigating the allegations of arbitrary arrests and disappearances of dissidents.
In a statement announcing the end of their hunger strike, the prisoners denied a claim made by human rights groups in Iran who had said the strike was not political.
“Today, we had a meeting with him along with my son, he appeared physically weak, but emotionally strong,” Homa Zarafshan, wife of jailed lawyer Nasser Zarafshan tells Radio Farda’s broadcaster Leyli Sadr. “He gave us a statement that said they planned to break their hunger strike later this evening,” she adds.
Twelve political prisoners who had been on strike for the past 21 days at the Evin prison ended their strike today, at the urging of human rights organizations and their families, wife of strike leader Nasser Zarafshan tells Radio Farda.
July 25, 2004 - Political prisoners in the Evin prison’s cellblock one Sunday ended their hunger strike after 21 days, at he urging of their families and human rights advocates inside and outside Iran, the strikers announced in a statement. The judiciary officials denied the news of prisoners’ hunger strike, but postponed a planned visit to Tehran by a UH Human Rights Commission’s delegation charged with investigating the allegations of arbitrary arrests and disappearances of dissidents.
In a statement announcing the end of their hunger strike, the prisoners denied a claim made by human rights groups in Iran who had said the strike was not political.
“Today, we had a meeting with him along with my son, he appeared physically weak, but emotionally strong,” Homa Zarafshan, wife of jailed lawyer Nasser Zarafshan tells Radio Farda’s broadcaster Leyli Sadr. “He gave us a statement that said they planned to break their hunger strike later this evening,” she adds.
posted by Anonymous at 3:56 AM
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IRAN: Iran's Nobel winner vows journalist's killer will face justice
Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Laureate, vows to bring journalist’s murderer to justice
South China Morning PostMonday, July 26, 2004
Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi vowed not to rest until the killer of Canadian-Iranian journalist Zahra Kazemi was identified, after Iran's judiciary acquitted the sole defendant in the case.
"I will pursue this case until my last breath," said the human rights lawyer, who is representing the family of Kazemi, who lived in Canada and died on an assignment.
Kazemi's death in detention last July after being arrested for taking photographs of Tehran's Evin prison has severely strained Iran's ties with Canada - which withdrew its ambassador this month - and thrown an international spotlight on human rights abuses and judicial process in Iran.
The reform-minded government, human rights groups and lawyers for the Kazemi family had long said the intelligence agent charged with killing her was a scapegoat and accused the powerful and conservative judiciary of covering up evidence pointing to the involvement of judiciary officials in her death.
"The Iranian government from the beginning believed the man on trial was innocent and the court came to the same conclusion," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said yesterday.
Speaking outside the Tehran court which on Saturday cleared Intelligence Ministry agent Mohammad Reza Aqdam of the "semi-intentional murder" of Kazemi, Ms Ebadi said key testimony had been ignored.
"We introduced some witnesses and called on the court to summon them and to listen to their comments but none of them were taken into consideration," she said. "I'm sorry, because if they had been heeded those who committed this crime ... would have been identified."
Iran's judiciary, which brought Mr Aqdam's trial to an end last Sunday after just three court hearings, appeared to be moving quickly to wrap up the case.
Announcing its decision to clear Mr Aqdam due to lack of evidence, it also said "blood money" to Kazemi's family would be paid from the state treasury.
But Ms Ebadi said she would appeal for a higher court to consider all the ignored testimony. She has threatened to take the case to an international court.
Kazemi, 54, was interrogated for three days in Evin prison before being sent to a military hospital where she slipped into a coma and died.
South China Morning PostMonday, July 26, 2004
Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi vowed not to rest until the killer of Canadian-Iranian journalist Zahra Kazemi was identified, after Iran's judiciary acquitted the sole defendant in the case.
"I will pursue this case until my last breath," said the human rights lawyer, who is representing the family of Kazemi, who lived in Canada and died on an assignment.
Kazemi's death in detention last July after being arrested for taking photographs of Tehran's Evin prison has severely strained Iran's ties with Canada - which withdrew its ambassador this month - and thrown an international spotlight on human rights abuses and judicial process in Iran.
The reform-minded government, human rights groups and lawyers for the Kazemi family had long said the intelligence agent charged with killing her was a scapegoat and accused the powerful and conservative judiciary of covering up evidence pointing to the involvement of judiciary officials in her death.
"The Iranian government from the beginning believed the man on trial was innocent and the court came to the same conclusion," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said yesterday.
Speaking outside the Tehran court which on Saturday cleared Intelligence Ministry agent Mohammad Reza Aqdam of the "semi-intentional murder" of Kazemi, Ms Ebadi said key testimony had been ignored.
"We introduced some witnesses and called on the court to summon them and to listen to their comments but none of them were taken into consideration," she said. "I'm sorry, because if they had been heeded those who committed this crime ... would have been identified."
Iran's judiciary, which brought Mr Aqdam's trial to an end last Sunday after just three court hearings, appeared to be moving quickly to wrap up the case.
Announcing its decision to clear Mr Aqdam due to lack of evidence, it also said "blood money" to Kazemi's family would be paid from the state treasury.
But Ms Ebadi said she would appeal for a higher court to consider all the ignored testimony. She has threatened to take the case to an international court.
Kazemi, 54, was interrogated for three days in Evin prison before being sent to a military hospital where she slipped into a coma and died.
posted by Anonymous at 3:56 AM
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iran, canada: Ebadi threatens international suit over dead journalist
www.mmorning.com
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Shirin Ebadi (second left), the Nobel Peace Prize laureate leading a team of lawyers representing Canadian-Iranian photographer Zahra Kazemi at the trial of an intelligence agent accused of killing Kazemi while in custody, at a press conference with her legal team: Mohammad Seifzadeh (left), Mohammad Ali Dadkhah (third left) and Abdolfattah Soltanifar
Nobel laureate and human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi has warned the Iranian regime that she could take the case of an Iranian-Canadian photographer killed in custody in Teheran to an international court if justice was not served in the Islamic republic.“We have many legal means to defend the rights of our clients, and conforming with the law, if the client asks it, we will bring the case before an international tribunal”, she told reporters.Her comments came after Iran’s judiciary, accused of a cover-up in the death of Zahra Kazemi, barred diplomats and journalists from the trial of her alleged killer and then abruptly halted the case.As the second round of hearings into the controversial case opened, Canadian Ambassador Philip MacKinnon, Dutch Ambassador Hein de Vries as well as senior French and British diplomats were bluntly told to stay out.The foreign press were also barred from the court, and Ebadi and her legal team -- who are representing Kazemi’s family -- stormed out after the judge rejected their call for more witnesses and ended the hearings.“This is a very serious development; there will be diplomatic consequences”, one of the diplomats said after waiting in his car outside the court for more than an hour and failing to get a permit to enter.“This goes against all the assurances we have had that the trial will be open and transparent”, another diplomat added. “The cause of human rights in Iran has taken a very serious blow today”.Canada reacted swiftly, announcing the “immediate recall” of Ambassador MacKinnon.Foreign Minister Bill Graham said, “I am disapointed but not surprised by this flagrant denial of due process. ...There can be no justice behind closed doors”.Ottawa had announced during the week that it would recall MacKinnon, then reversed its decision, before deciding to pull the envoy over the barring of diplomats and the controversial end to the trial.Kazemi, a 54-year-old freelance photographer and a dual national, was arrested in June last for taking pictures outside Teheran’s Evin prison. She died from a brain hemorrhage on July 10, 2003.The judiciary initially claimed she had died of a stroke, but a government report later revealed she had been struck by a blunt object while being interrogated.
more
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Shirin Ebadi (second left), the Nobel Peace Prize laureate leading a team of lawyers representing Canadian-Iranian photographer Zahra Kazemi at the trial of an intelligence agent accused of killing Kazemi while in custody, at a press conference with her legal team: Mohammad Seifzadeh (left), Mohammad Ali Dadkhah (third left) and Abdolfattah Soltanifar
Nobel laureate and human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi has warned the Iranian regime that she could take the case of an Iranian-Canadian photographer killed in custody in Teheran to an international court if justice was not served in the Islamic republic.“We have many legal means to defend the rights of our clients, and conforming with the law, if the client asks it, we will bring the case before an international tribunal”, she told reporters.Her comments came after Iran’s judiciary, accused of a cover-up in the death of Zahra Kazemi, barred diplomats and journalists from the trial of her alleged killer and then abruptly halted the case.As the second round of hearings into the controversial case opened, Canadian Ambassador Philip MacKinnon, Dutch Ambassador Hein de Vries as well as senior French and British diplomats were bluntly told to stay out.The foreign press were also barred from the court, and Ebadi and her legal team -- who are representing Kazemi’s family -- stormed out after the judge rejected their call for more witnesses and ended the hearings.“This is a very serious development; there will be diplomatic consequences”, one of the diplomats said after waiting in his car outside the court for more than an hour and failing to get a permit to enter.“This goes against all the assurances we have had that the trial will be open and transparent”, another diplomat added. “The cause of human rights in Iran has taken a very serious blow today”.Canada reacted swiftly, announcing the “immediate recall” of Ambassador MacKinnon.Foreign Minister Bill Graham said, “I am disapointed but not surprised by this flagrant denial of due process. ...There can be no justice behind closed doors”.Ottawa had announced during the week that it would recall MacKinnon, then reversed its decision, before deciding to pull the envoy over the barring of diplomats and the controversial end to the trial.Kazemi, a 54-year-old freelance photographer and a dual national, was arrested in June last for taking pictures outside Teheran’s Evin prison. She died from a brain hemorrhage on July 10, 2003.The judiciary initially claimed she had died of a stroke, but a government report later revealed she had been struck by a blunt object while being interrogated.
more
posted by Anonymous at 3:51 AM
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Sunday, July 25, 2004
Sham trial deplored in Kazemi murder case
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders today denounced what it called a sham trial in the murder of Iranian-Canadian journalist Zahra Kazemi after a Teheran court on 24 July cleared intelligence agent Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi of the crime.
It called for the truth to be disclosed about the killing at an appeal hearing. "The real killers have never been pursued," it said. "International pressure must now force the authorities to deal with and solve the case properly and see that those responsible are punished."
The Kazemi family's lawyers said they would appeal and Kazemi's son Stephan Hachemi has asked the Canadian government to take the Iranian regime before the International Court in The Hague for the killing. Hachemi said the latest verdict was designed to cover up who the real murderers were. Kazemi's mother said during the trial that her daughter had been tortured to death by interrogators.
Canadian diplomats were barred from the second day of the trial despite the promises of the authorities. The family's lawyers were also unable to get top officials of the judiciary to testify. Kazemi reportedly died in the hands of aides of the hardline Teheran prosecutor, Judge Said Mortazevi, who is said to have directly taken part in interrogating her.
The head of the judiciary, Mahmud Hashemi Shahrudi, and intelligence minister Ali Younessi set up a committee last December to look into the murder, but Reporters Without Borders denounced the move as a bid to cover things up. The worldwide press freedom organisation said the 24 July verdict confirmed this suspicion.
18.07.04
Reporters Without Borders disgusted by sham trial in Kazemi murder case
Reporters Without Borders said today it was "disgusted" by the Iranian regime's halting the trial of the supposed killer of Canadian-Iranian journalist Zahra Kazemi. The case was stopped on 18 July, the second day of its resumption after a gap of nine months.
"We are appalled at this denial of justice," the international press freedom organisation said. "The Iranian judiciary has displayed intolerable cynicism and hypocrisy in a case which the world sees as a test of intent by the Iranian regime, which has been unanimously condemned by international human rights organisations.
"By turning the trial into a mockery, the authorities have once more totally discredited themselves and deserve to have sanctions imposed on them," it said.
Reporters Without Borders welcomed the reaction of Canada which, for the third time in connection with the case, announced after the trial curtailment the recall of its ambassador (Philip MacKinnon) in protest. It urged Canada to keep up strong pressure on Iran.
The organisation also renewed its call to the European Union to impose tough economic and political sanctions on the regime, whose repeated human rights violations it said were incompatible with the official EU-Iranian dialogue begun in 2001.
Kazemi was arrested on 23 June 2003 as she was taking pictures of prisoners' families outside Evin prison, north of Teheran. She was ill-treated in detention and died of her injuries on 10 July. After trying to cover up the cause of death, the authorities admitted on 16 July that she had been "beaten."
Her body was hastily buried on 22 July in the southern town of Shiraz, against the wishes of her Canadian son Stephan. Her mother, who lives in Iran, admitted being pressured to allow burial in Iran. Requests for the body to be exhumed and returned to Canada have been refused.
Reporters Without Borders today denounced what it called a sham trial in the murder of Iranian-Canadian journalist Zahra Kazemi after a Teheran court on 24 July cleared intelligence agent Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi of the crime.
It called for the truth to be disclosed about the killing at an appeal hearing. "The real killers have never been pursued," it said. "International pressure must now force the authorities to deal with and solve the case properly and see that those responsible are punished."
The Kazemi family's lawyers said they would appeal and Kazemi's son Stephan Hachemi has asked the Canadian government to take the Iranian regime before the International Court in The Hague for the killing. Hachemi said the latest verdict was designed to cover up who the real murderers were. Kazemi's mother said during the trial that her daughter had been tortured to death by interrogators.
Canadian diplomats were barred from the second day of the trial despite the promises of the authorities. The family's lawyers were also unable to get top officials of the judiciary to testify. Kazemi reportedly died in the hands of aides of the hardline Teheran prosecutor, Judge Said Mortazevi, who is said to have directly taken part in interrogating her.
The head of the judiciary, Mahmud Hashemi Shahrudi, and intelligence minister Ali Younessi set up a committee last December to look into the murder, but Reporters Without Borders denounced the move as a bid to cover things up. The worldwide press freedom organisation said the 24 July verdict confirmed this suspicion.
18.07.04
Reporters Without Borders disgusted by sham trial in Kazemi murder case
Reporters Without Borders said today it was "disgusted" by the Iranian regime's halting the trial of the supposed killer of Canadian-Iranian journalist Zahra Kazemi. The case was stopped on 18 July, the second day of its resumption after a gap of nine months.
"We are appalled at this denial of justice," the international press freedom organisation said. "The Iranian judiciary has displayed intolerable cynicism and hypocrisy in a case which the world sees as a test of intent by the Iranian regime, which has been unanimously condemned by international human rights organisations.
"By turning the trial into a mockery, the authorities have once more totally discredited themselves and deserve to have sanctions imposed on them," it said.
Reporters Without Borders welcomed the reaction of Canada which, for the third time in connection with the case, announced after the trial curtailment the recall of its ambassador (Philip MacKinnon) in protest. It urged Canada to keep up strong pressure on Iran.
The organisation also renewed its call to the European Union to impose tough economic and political sanctions on the regime, whose repeated human rights violations it said were incompatible with the official EU-Iranian dialogue begun in 2001.
Kazemi was arrested on 23 June 2003 as she was taking pictures of prisoners' families outside Evin prison, north of Teheran. She was ill-treated in detention and died of her injuries on 10 July. After trying to cover up the cause of death, the authorities admitted on 16 July that she had been "beaten."
Her body was hastily buried on 22 July in the southern town of Shiraz, against the wishes of her Canadian son Stephan. Her mother, who lives in Iran, admitted being pressured to allow burial in Iran. Requests for the body to be exhumed and returned to Canada have been refused.
posted by Anonymous at 9:36 AM
1 comments
Iran faced with threats of world court, sanctions over Kazemi verdict
AFP
TEHRAN : Iran was threatened with international legal proceedings and possible Canadian sanctions after its hardline judiciary acquitted the sole defendant accused of the killing in custody of Iranian-Canadian photographer Zahra Kazemi.The Iranian judiciary said the intelligence agent who stood trial for the murder had been found not guilty due to "lack of proof" and declared itself unable to find the real killer.
In the absence of a guilty verdict, the Iranian government was been ordered to pay "blood money" to Kazemi's family. Blood money in Iran for a woman -- half that for a man -- currently amounts to 120 million rials, or around 13,700 dollars."The investigation was flawed and the court overlooked these," complained Nobel Peace Prize winner and lawyer Shirin Ebadi, who has been representing Kazemi's enraged family."I will follow the case until my last breath," she told AFP."I hope this case, with a fair trial, is solved in Iran. But if it is not, since human rights is a universal issue ... I will use all international options in order to see justice done."She said her legal team would be appealing the verdict, in the hope of widening the probe.The judiciary has been accused of trying an innocent man to cover up for one of its own senior officials.Kazemi, a 54-year-old freelance photographer with dual nationality, died in July 2003 from a brain haemorrhage, the result of a blow to her skull inflicted while she was being interrogated.She had been arrested for taking photos outside Tehran's notorious Evin prison, at the time packed with protesters who took part in last summer's wave of anti-regime demonstrations.Iran's judiciary abruptly closed the trial a week ago.Its decision to bar Canadian diplomats from the last day of the hearings prompted Ottawa to recall its ambassador to the Islamic republic, and the latest verdict means more diplomatic fallout can be expected."This is very distasteful. The Canadian government is reviewing its options, but the general view is one way or another, Iran should be sanctioned," a senior Canadian foreign ministry official said.The source, who asked not to be named, said a possible step could include a permanent downgrading of relations with Iran.The official Canadian foreign ministry spokesman said Ottawa was withholding its formal reaction "for the time being", having not yet been officially informed of the verdict.The outcome of the trial was nevertheless a relief for the agent put on trial for "semi-intentional murder", 42-year-old Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi. He had claimed he was a scapegoat and a victim of Iran's complex internal rivalries.The intelligence ministry is seen as being closer to the reformist government of President Mohammad Khatami and frequently at odds with the hardline courts.Kazemi's son Stephen Hachemi, speaking in Canada and quoted by the BBC, also branded the trial a "cover-up"."They're not ready to implicate Iranian officials. I have only three letters -- ICJ -- the International Court of Justice," he warned.The verdict is just the latest twist in the controversial case, seen as a key test of Iran's willingness to tackle what human rights groups allege is the widespread use of torture in its prison system.The judiciary had initially claimed Kazemi died of a stroke, but a government report later revealed she had been struck by a blunt object.Between her arrest and her admission to hospital, she spent several days being shuttled between the custody of judicial prosecutors, the police and the intelligence ministry.A probe by reformist deputies accused Tehran's hardline public prosecutor, Saeed Mortazavi, of manipulating evidence and pressuring witnesses.In court last week, Ebadi's team alleged that the real killer could have been Mohammad Bakhshi, a senior justice official working in Evin prison.Kazemi's mother also told the court that her daughter had been tortured, and said she was pressured into burying the photographer at her birthplace in southern Iran under duress in order to deny Canada the opportunity to carry out its own autopsy.Iran, which refuses to recognise dual nationality, said Canada had no business observing the trial and said Kazemi's case was a "domestic affair". On various occasions, it has also accused Canada of being "absurd" and "racist".
TEHRAN : Iran was threatened with international legal proceedings and possible Canadian sanctions after its hardline judiciary acquitted the sole defendant accused of the killing in custody of Iranian-Canadian photographer Zahra Kazemi.The Iranian judiciary said the intelligence agent who stood trial for the murder had been found not guilty due to "lack of proof" and declared itself unable to find the real killer.
In the absence of a guilty verdict, the Iranian government was been ordered to pay "blood money" to Kazemi's family. Blood money in Iran for a woman -- half that for a man -- currently amounts to 120 million rials, or around 13,700 dollars."The investigation was flawed and the court overlooked these," complained Nobel Peace Prize winner and lawyer Shirin Ebadi, who has been representing Kazemi's enraged family."I will follow the case until my last breath," she told AFP."I hope this case, with a fair trial, is solved in Iran. But if it is not, since human rights is a universal issue ... I will use all international options in order to see justice done."She said her legal team would be appealing the verdict, in the hope of widening the probe.The judiciary has been accused of trying an innocent man to cover up for one of its own senior officials.Kazemi, a 54-year-old freelance photographer with dual nationality, died in July 2003 from a brain haemorrhage, the result of a blow to her skull inflicted while she was being interrogated.She had been arrested for taking photos outside Tehran's notorious Evin prison, at the time packed with protesters who took part in last summer's wave of anti-regime demonstrations.Iran's judiciary abruptly closed the trial a week ago.Its decision to bar Canadian diplomats from the last day of the hearings prompted Ottawa to recall its ambassador to the Islamic republic, and the latest verdict means more diplomatic fallout can be expected."This is very distasteful. The Canadian government is reviewing its options, but the general view is one way or another, Iran should be sanctioned," a senior Canadian foreign ministry official said.The source, who asked not to be named, said a possible step could include a permanent downgrading of relations with Iran.The official Canadian foreign ministry spokesman said Ottawa was withholding its formal reaction "for the time being", having not yet been officially informed of the verdict.The outcome of the trial was nevertheless a relief for the agent put on trial for "semi-intentional murder", 42-year-old Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi. He had claimed he was a scapegoat and a victim of Iran's complex internal rivalries.The intelligence ministry is seen as being closer to the reformist government of President Mohammad Khatami and frequently at odds with the hardline courts.Kazemi's son Stephen Hachemi, speaking in Canada and quoted by the BBC, also branded the trial a "cover-up"."They're not ready to implicate Iranian officials. I have only three letters -- ICJ -- the International Court of Justice," he warned.The verdict is just the latest twist in the controversial case, seen as a key test of Iran's willingness to tackle what human rights groups allege is the widespread use of torture in its prison system.The judiciary had initially claimed Kazemi died of a stroke, but a government report later revealed she had been struck by a blunt object.Between her arrest and her admission to hospital, she spent several days being shuttled between the custody of judicial prosecutors, the police and the intelligence ministry.A probe by reformist deputies accused Tehran's hardline public prosecutor, Saeed Mortazavi, of manipulating evidence and pressuring witnesses.In court last week, Ebadi's team alleged that the real killer could have been Mohammad Bakhshi, a senior justice official working in Evin prison.Kazemi's mother also told the court that her daughter had been tortured, and said she was pressured into burying the photographer at her birthplace in southern Iran under duress in order to deny Canada the opportunity to carry out its own autopsy.Iran, which refuses to recognise dual nationality, said Canada had no business observing the trial and said Kazemi's case was a "domestic affair". On various occasions, it has also accused Canada of being "absurd" and "racist".
posted by Anonymous at 9:34 AM
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Iranian Court Acquits Intelligence Agent in Photojournalist’s Death
Voice of America, July 25, 2004
An Iranian court has acquitted an intelligence agent charged with killing Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi.
Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, the sole defendant in the case, was cleared Saturday, six days after the trial abruptly ended a day after it opened.
Lawyers representing Ms. Kazemi's family argue that Mr. Ahmadi was a scapegoat, and that another official delivered the fatal blow that killed the 54-year-old photographer. The lawyers say they want to re-open the case to find the real killer.
Zahra Kazemi, a Canadian freelance journalist of Iranian origin, was arrested for taking photographs outside a Tehran prison (Evin) last year as a student protest was taking place. She died while undergoing interrogation.
The case has soured relations between Canada and Iran, which also barred Canadian observers from attending the trial.
An Iranian court has acquitted an intelligence agent charged with killing Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi.
Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, the sole defendant in the case, was cleared Saturday, six days after the trial abruptly ended a day after it opened.
Lawyers representing Ms. Kazemi's family argue that Mr. Ahmadi was a scapegoat, and that another official delivered the fatal blow that killed the 54-year-old photographer. The lawyers say they want to re-open the case to find the real killer.
Zahra Kazemi, a Canadian freelance journalist of Iranian origin, was arrested for taking photographs outside a Tehran prison (Evin) last year as a student protest was taking place. She died while undergoing interrogation.
The case has soured relations between Canada and Iran, which also barred Canadian observers from attending the trial.
posted by Anonymous at 9:33 AM
2 comments
Iran's Nobel winner vows to find journalist killer
www.abs-cbnnews.com
TEHRAN- Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi vowed on Sunday not to rest until the killer of Canadian-Iranian journalist Zahra Kazemi was identified, after Iran's judiciary acquitted the sole defendant in the case.
"I will pursue this case until my last breath," said human rights lawyer Ebadi, who is representing the family of Kazemi, who lived in Canada and died on an assignment in Iran.
Kazemi's death in detention last July after being arrested for taking photographs of Tehran's Evin prison has severely strained Iran's ties with Canada -- which withdrew its ambassador this month -- and thrown an international spotlight on human rights abuses and judicial process in Iran.
Iran's reform-minded government, human rights groups and lawyers for the Kazemi family had long said the intelligence agent charged with killing her was a scapegoat and accused the powerful and conservative judiciary of covering up evidence pointing to the involvement of judiciary officials in her death.
"The Iranian government from the beginning believed the man on trial was innocent and the court came to the same conclusion," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi.
Ebadi, speaking to reporters outside the Tehran court which on Saturday cleared Intelligence Ministry agent Mohammad Reza Aqdam of Kazemi's killing, said key testimony had been ignored.
"We introduced some witnesses and called on the court to summon them and to listen to their comments but none of them were taken into consideration," she said.
"I'm sorry, because if they had been heeded those who committed this crime ... would have been identified."
Judiciary moves to wrap case up
Iran's judiciary, which abruptly brought Aqdam's trial to an end last Sunday after just three court hearings, appeared to be moving quickly to wrap up the case.
Announcing its decision to acquit Aqdam of "semi-intentional murder" due to lack of evidence, it also said "blood money" would be paid to Kazemi's family from the state treasury.
Blood money compensation is normally paid to the victim's family by those convicted of their murder. When no guilty person is identified the money is paid by the state.
But Ebadi said she would lodge an appeal for the case to re-opened at a higher court. She has threatened to take the case to an international court if her efforts are blocked Iran.
Paris-based media rights group Reporters Without Borders also called for a fresh trial.
"This trial has been a masquerade," said Robert Menard, a spokesman for the group. "What cannot happen is that the trial process ends following this acquittal."
Kazemi, 54, underwent three days of interrogations inside Evin prison before being sent to a military hospital where she slipped into a coma and died.
Iran's judiciary initially announced she had died naturally of a stroke. But a subsequent government report showed Kazemi had received a blow to the head while in detention that split her skull and caused a brain hemorrhage.
In tearful testimony to the court, Kazemi's mother said her daughter's fingers, nose and toes were broken and there were burn marks on her chest.
She said Iranian officials forced her to agree to bury the body in Iran, instead of sending it to Canada where authorities wanted to carry out a further autopsy.
TEHRAN- Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi vowed on Sunday not to rest until the killer of Canadian-Iranian journalist Zahra Kazemi was identified, after Iran's judiciary acquitted the sole defendant in the case.
"I will pursue this case until my last breath," said human rights lawyer Ebadi, who is representing the family of Kazemi, who lived in Canada and died on an assignment in Iran.
Kazemi's death in detention last July after being arrested for taking photographs of Tehran's Evin prison has severely strained Iran's ties with Canada -- which withdrew its ambassador this month -- and thrown an international spotlight on human rights abuses and judicial process in Iran.
Iran's reform-minded government, human rights groups and lawyers for the Kazemi family had long said the intelligence agent charged with killing her was a scapegoat and accused the powerful and conservative judiciary of covering up evidence pointing to the involvement of judiciary officials in her death.
"The Iranian government from the beginning believed the man on trial was innocent and the court came to the same conclusion," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi.
Ebadi, speaking to reporters outside the Tehran court which on Saturday cleared Intelligence Ministry agent Mohammad Reza Aqdam of Kazemi's killing, said key testimony had been ignored.
"We introduced some witnesses and called on the court to summon them and to listen to their comments but none of them were taken into consideration," she said.
"I'm sorry, because if they had been heeded those who committed this crime ... would have been identified."
Judiciary moves to wrap case up
Iran's judiciary, which abruptly brought Aqdam's trial to an end last Sunday after just three court hearings, appeared to be moving quickly to wrap up the case.
Announcing its decision to acquit Aqdam of "semi-intentional murder" due to lack of evidence, it also said "blood money" would be paid to Kazemi's family from the state treasury.
Blood money compensation is normally paid to the victim's family by those convicted of their murder. When no guilty person is identified the money is paid by the state.
But Ebadi said she would lodge an appeal for the case to re-opened at a higher court. She has threatened to take the case to an international court if her efforts are blocked Iran.
Paris-based media rights group Reporters Without Borders also called for a fresh trial.
"This trial has been a masquerade," said Robert Menard, a spokesman for the group. "What cannot happen is that the trial process ends following this acquittal."
Kazemi, 54, underwent three days of interrogations inside Evin prison before being sent to a military hospital where she slipped into a coma and died.
Iran's judiciary initially announced she had died naturally of a stroke. But a subsequent government report showed Kazemi had received a blow to the head while in detention that split her skull and caused a brain hemorrhage.
In tearful testimony to the court, Kazemi's mother said her daughter's fingers, nose and toes were broken and there were burn marks on her chest.
She said Iranian officials forced her to agree to bury the body in Iran, instead of sending it to Canada where authorities wanted to carry out a further autopsy.
posted by Anonymous at 9:32 AM
2 comments
Kazemi's son not surprised by suspect's acquittal
CTV.ca News Staff
The son of Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi says he's not surprised an Iranian court acquitted the man charged with his mother's murder.
"The only justice we have come to expect from Iran is injustice," he told Broadcast News.
Hachemi says he's hoping Ottawa and the International Court of Justice in The Hague will review the case.
He adds that he's expecting to meet Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew to "be assured of the other effective measures (Canada) is intending to take."
The intelligence agent implicated in Kazemi's death, Mohammad Reza Aqdam pleaded not guilty during the trial.
But Shirin Ebadi, the Nobel peace laureate representing Kazemi's mother, said all along that the accused agent wasn't responsible.
They say the real killer was a senior prison official who had already been cleared of any wrongdoing by Iran's judiciary.
Ebadi says she will not rest until Kazemi's murderer is identified. "I will pursue this case until my last breath," she said.
She said the court wasn't willing to hear the witnesses she had called in the case.
"I'm sorry, because if they had been heeded those who committed this crime...would have been identified," Ebadi said.
Meanwhile, Iran's judiciary has ordered that "blood money" be paid to Kazemi's family from the state treasury.
The funds are normally paid to the victim's family by those convicted of their murder. Since no guilty party has been identified, the money is paid by the state.
The move would lead to an end to the case. But Ebadi is trying to prevent that from happening. She's hoping the case will be re-opened in a higher court and has threatened to take it to an international court if Iran blocks her efforts.
The son of Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi says he's not surprised an Iranian court acquitted the man charged with his mother's murder.
"The only justice we have come to expect from Iran is injustice," he told Broadcast News.
Hachemi says he's hoping Ottawa and the International Court of Justice in The Hague will review the case.
He adds that he's expecting to meet Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew to "be assured of the other effective measures (Canada) is intending to take."
The intelligence agent implicated in Kazemi's death, Mohammad Reza Aqdam pleaded not guilty during the trial.
But Shirin Ebadi, the Nobel peace laureate representing Kazemi's mother, said all along that the accused agent wasn't responsible.
They say the real killer was a senior prison official who had already been cleared of any wrongdoing by Iran's judiciary.
Ebadi says she will not rest until Kazemi's murderer is identified. "I will pursue this case until my last breath," she said.
She said the court wasn't willing to hear the witnesses she had called in the case.
"I'm sorry, because if they had been heeded those who committed this crime...would have been identified," Ebadi said.
Meanwhile, Iran's judiciary has ordered that "blood money" be paid to Kazemi's family from the state treasury.
The funds are normally paid to the victim's family by those convicted of their murder. Since no guilty party has been identified, the money is paid by the state.
The move would lead to an end to the case. But Ebadi is trying to prevent that from happening. She's hoping the case will be re-opened in a higher court and has threatened to take it to an international court if Iran blocks her efforts.
posted by Anonymous at 9:11 AM
1 comments
Friday, July 23, 2004
Tehran postpones visit of human-rights team
Reuters
Geneva -- Iran has postponed a United Nations human-rights team's visit, the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said yesterday, days after Canada withdrew its ambassador to Tehran in the wake of the trial of an intelligence official accused of killing journalist Zahra Kazemi.
A spokesman said Iran indicated that the visit, planned for next week, could be pushed back to as late as October. There was no immediate comment from the Iranian mission in Geneva, but diplomatic sources said the Tehran judiciary has not been able to co-ordinate its officials for the meetings
Geneva -- Iran has postponed a United Nations human-rights team's visit, the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said yesterday, days after Canada withdrew its ambassador to Tehran in the wake of the trial of an intelligence official accused of killing journalist Zahra Kazemi.
A spokesman said Iran indicated that the visit, planned for next week, could be pushed back to as late as October. There was no immediate comment from the Iranian mission in Geneva, but diplomatic sources said the Tehran judiciary has not been able to co-ordinate its officials for the meetings
posted by Anonymous at 12:52 PM
1 comments
Iran: Anyone Interfering In Kazemi Trial Will Be Prosecuted
www.cascfen.org
MNA, Tehran, 23 Jul 2004 -- No international observer is authorized to interfere in the trial of the man accused of murdering Zahra Kazemi, and foreign officials will be prosecuted if they try to influence the proceedings, Amir Husseinabadi of the Shahid Beheshti University Faculty of Law said here on Sunday.
Husseinabadi told the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) that some foreign officials’ comments on the Kazemi case appear to be attempts to interfere in an independent country's judicial system.
According to Iranian law, foreign officials' comments have no weight in trials held in the country and observers are only permitted to attend open court sessions after receiving permission from the court, he said.
Any Iranian or non-Iranian who interferes in a trial will be indicted, he added.
more
MNA, Tehran, 23 Jul 2004 -- No international observer is authorized to interfere in the trial of the man accused of murdering Zahra Kazemi, and foreign officials will be prosecuted if they try to influence the proceedings, Amir Husseinabadi of the Shahid Beheshti University Faculty of Law said here on Sunday.
Husseinabadi told the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) that some foreign officials’ comments on the Kazemi case appear to be attempts to interfere in an independent country's judicial system.
According to Iranian law, foreign officials' comments have no weight in trials held in the country and observers are only permitted to attend open court sessions after receiving permission from the court, he said.
Any Iranian or non-Iranian who interferes in a trial will be indicted, he added.
more
posted by Anonymous at 12:51 PM
2 comments
Iranian diplomats should be expelled
www.thestar.com
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi is living on another planet if he thinks Canadian-Iranian relations will not be harmed by the sudden and inexplicable conclusion of the Zahra Kazemi murder trial behind closed doors.
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham was correct to immediately recall Canada's ambassador to Iran. We recommend a further step — expel Iranian diplomats from Canada. Iran needs to hear clearly that Canada will not maintain diplomatic relations with a country that refuses to abide by the rule of law.
More
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi is living on another planet if he thinks Canadian-Iranian relations will not be harmed by the sudden and inexplicable conclusion of the Zahra Kazemi murder trial behind closed doors.
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham was correct to immediately recall Canada's ambassador to Iran. We recommend a further step — expel Iranian diplomats from Canada. Iran needs to hear clearly that Canada will not maintain diplomatic relations with a country that refuses to abide by the rule of law.
More
posted by Anonymous at 12:49 PM
2 comments
In Support of political prisoners’ Hunger Strike in Evin Prison
www.cfra.com
Josh Pringle Thursday, July 22, 2004
The family of slain photojournalist Zahra Kazemi says Canada needs to take Iran to the World Court.
Stephan Hashemi and his legal team will meet with the Foreign Affairs Department to discuss the possibility of taking Iran to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Canadian officials were blocked from the trial of the secret agent accused of beating Kazemi to death.
Kazemi died July 10, 2003, while in detention for taking photographs outside a Tehran prison during student-led protests against the government.
Josh Pringle Thursday, July 22, 2004
The family of slain photojournalist Zahra Kazemi says Canada needs to take Iran to the World Court.
Stephan Hashemi and his legal team will meet with the Foreign Affairs Department to discuss the possibility of taking Iran to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Canadian officials were blocked from the trial of the secret agent accused of beating Kazemi to death.
Kazemi died July 10, 2003, while in detention for taking photographs outside a Tehran prison during student-led protests against the government.
posted by Anonymous at 12:49 PM
1 comments
IHRAG: In Support of political prisoners’ Hunger Strike in Evin Prison
July 18, 2004
Urgent
In Support of political prisoners’ Hunger Strike in Evin Prison
In protest against the attack of intelligent and security forces on the house of a student activist, Piran’s family, and pressure on families of political prisoners, journalists and even bloggers, a number of political prisoners in Evin prison, section one, went on hunger strike.
Reports suggest on July 8th, 2004, following persons: Naser Zarafshan, Farzad Hamidi, Peyman Piran, Ahmad Batebi, Saeed Masouri, Saeed Shah Ghaleh, Farhad Dousti, Omid Abbasgholi Nezhad, Reza Mohammadi, Gholamreza Azami, Alireza Shariat Panah and Gholamhossein Kalbi launched unlimited hunger strike.
It is worth noting that five years after the brutal attack on student dormitories at Tehran and Tabriz universities by the Iranian security and quasi-military forces on July 19, 2004, a number of students (Ahmad Batebi, Manouchehr Mohammadi, Akbar Mohammadi, and Abbas Deldar) are still in prison. The attack resulted in the death of one person and injury and incarceration of hundred of students.
Ever since, every year on the anniversary of the attacks, the Iranian security authorities would militarize big cities and attempt to arrest students and intellectuals. Last year on the 4th anniversary of the attack, about 4000 students and political activists (including Reza Alijani, Hoda Saber, Taghi Rahmani, Abdollah Momeni, Mehdi Amini Zadeh, Reza Ameri Nasab, Pouya Mahmoudian, Mehdi Habibi, Hojjat Sharifi, Arash Hashemi, Saeed Rezavi Faghih, Mojtaba Najafi and more) were arrested of whom Reza Alijani, Hoda Saber, Taghi Rahmani and Peyman Piran are still in confinement.
Based on the dark record of the Islamic Republic of Iran on widespread, continued and planned violation of human rights, We, as Iranian Human Rights Activist Groups in Europe and North America would like to express our deep concern about the prisoners’ health and safety situation and call upon all concerned international legal bodies to pay close attention to the legitimate demand of hunger striker and respond immediately.
Human rights defense association of Iran, Montréal, Canada (www.addhi.com) - Human Rights defense comity of Iran, Sweden (www.defakomite.com ) – The action committee for the release of Prisoners of conscience in Iran, Paris, France (irancalppo.free.fr ) – Centre for Thought, Dialogue and Human Rights in Iran, Toronto, Canada (ctdhumanright@yahoo.com) - Vereinigung zur Verteidigung der Menschenrechte im Iran,Bremen, Deutschland (www.bashariyat.de) - Stichting voor de Verdediging van Democratie in Iran, Nederland ) kdaddih@hotmail.com) – Iranian – Canadian community Association of western Canada, Vancouver (yebarak@yahoo.ca) - Committee to Defend Human Rights in Iran, California, U.S.A. - ( defendhriran_ca@yahoo.com) - noran (supporting committee for human rights in iran ), Norway – (noranali2003@yahoo.no ) – Activist of Human Rights- Irantestimony (www.irantestimony.com) - Committee for defense of Liberty and Democracy in Iran – Austria (demokrasi9@yahoo.com) , Aliance for Human Rights defense in Iran – Washangton, U.S.A (adhri1@yahoo.com) – Association of defender of Human Rights and democracy in Iran , France (www.rahaei.com) - Iranain Human Rights Activitists group, Switzerland (mnrecht@hotmail.com), - Center of activists for the defense of Human Rigts in Iran, Belgium ( kanon253@hotmail.com ), Menschenrechtgruppe IRAN – Deutschland ( www.azadegy.de)
Urgent
In Support of political prisoners’ Hunger Strike in Evin Prison
In protest against the attack of intelligent and security forces on the house of a student activist, Piran’s family, and pressure on families of political prisoners, journalists and even bloggers, a number of political prisoners in Evin prison, section one, went on hunger strike.
Reports suggest on July 8th, 2004, following persons: Naser Zarafshan, Farzad Hamidi, Peyman Piran, Ahmad Batebi, Saeed Masouri, Saeed Shah Ghaleh, Farhad Dousti, Omid Abbasgholi Nezhad, Reza Mohammadi, Gholamreza Azami, Alireza Shariat Panah and Gholamhossein Kalbi launched unlimited hunger strike.
It is worth noting that five years after the brutal attack on student dormitories at Tehran and Tabriz universities by the Iranian security and quasi-military forces on July 19, 2004, a number of students (Ahmad Batebi, Manouchehr Mohammadi, Akbar Mohammadi, and Abbas Deldar) are still in prison. The attack resulted in the death of one person and injury and incarceration of hundred of students.
Ever since, every year on the anniversary of the attacks, the Iranian security authorities would militarize big cities and attempt to arrest students and intellectuals. Last year on the 4th anniversary of the attack, about 4000 students and political activists (including Reza Alijani, Hoda Saber, Taghi Rahmani, Abdollah Momeni, Mehdi Amini Zadeh, Reza Ameri Nasab, Pouya Mahmoudian, Mehdi Habibi, Hojjat Sharifi, Arash Hashemi, Saeed Rezavi Faghih, Mojtaba Najafi and more) were arrested of whom Reza Alijani, Hoda Saber, Taghi Rahmani and Peyman Piran are still in confinement.
Based on the dark record of the Islamic Republic of Iran on widespread, continued and planned violation of human rights, We, as Iranian Human Rights Activist Groups in Europe and North America would like to express our deep concern about the prisoners’ health and safety situation and call upon all concerned international legal bodies to pay close attention to the legitimate demand of hunger striker and respond immediately.
Human rights defense association of Iran, Montréal, Canada (www.addhi.com) - Human Rights defense comity of Iran, Sweden (www.defakomite.com ) – The action committee for the release of Prisoners of conscience in Iran, Paris, France (irancalppo.free.fr ) – Centre for Thought, Dialogue and Human Rights in Iran, Toronto, Canada (ctdhumanright@yahoo.com) - Vereinigung zur Verteidigung der Menschenrechte im Iran,Bremen, Deutschland (www.bashariyat.de) - Stichting voor de Verdediging van Democratie in Iran, Nederland ) kdaddih@hotmail.com) – Iranian – Canadian community Association of western Canada, Vancouver (yebarak@yahoo.ca) - Committee to Defend Human Rights in Iran, California, U.S.A. - ( defendhriran_ca@yahoo.com) - noran (supporting committee for human rights in iran ), Norway – (noranali2003@yahoo.no ) – Activist of Human Rights- Irantestimony (www.irantestimony.com) - Committee for defense of Liberty and Democracy in Iran – Austria (demokrasi9@yahoo.com) , Aliance for Human Rights defense in Iran – Washangton, U.S.A (adhri1@yahoo.com) – Association of defender of Human Rights and democracy in Iran , France (www.rahaei.com) - Iranain Human Rights Activitists group, Switzerland (mnrecht@hotmail.com), - Center of activists for the defense of Human Rigts in Iran, Belgium ( kanon253@hotmail.com ), Menschenrechtgruppe IRAN – Deutschland ( www.azadegy.de)
posted by Anonymous at 12:43 PM
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Tuesday, July 20, 2004
World leaders lobby high court for end to juvenile executions
By Anne GearanThe Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Canada, Mexico and other U.S. allies, along with Nobel Peace Prize winners, former American diplomats and the American Medical Association yesterday asked the Supreme Court to end the execution of killers who committed their crimes as juveniles.
...
The United States executed more juvenile offenders than the rest of the world combined between 1990 and 2003, the diplomats' filing said. During those years, the United States executed 19, while the rest of the world killed 16, the filing said. The foreign nations that executed juvenile offenders were Iran, eight; Pakistan, three; and China, Congo, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, one each.
more
WASHINGTON — Canada, Mexico and other U.S. allies, along with Nobel Peace Prize winners, former American diplomats and the American Medical Association yesterday asked the Supreme Court to end the execution of killers who committed their crimes as juveniles.
...
The United States executed more juvenile offenders than the rest of the world combined between 1990 and 2003, the diplomats' filing said. During those years, the United States executed 19, while the rest of the world killed 16, the filing said. The foreign nations that executed juvenile offenders were Iran, eight; Pakistan, three; and China, Congo, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, one each.
more
posted by Anonymous at 2:00 AM
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Two dailies suspended in new attack on reformist press
Reporters Without Borders today strongly condemned as ÒunacceptableÓ the Iranian regimeÕs suspension of two leading reformist daily newspapers Ð Vaghayeh Ettefaghieh and Jomhouriat Ð as well as the monthly Aftab and said the moves appeared to herald a new wave of repression. It called for the suspensions to be lifted at once.
It said the shutdown of the dailies was an example of the Òdeplorable blackmail used by IranÕs so-called system of justiceÓ and Òthe determination of the regimeÕs hardliners to silence any source of independent information, especially during the sham trial of the alleged killer of Canadian-Iranian journalist Zahra Kazemi.Ó
Vaghayeh ettefaghieh was suspended indefinitely on 17 July for Òanti-regime propaganda,Ó publishing Òfalse newsÓ and Òinsulting the Supreme Guide.Ó The paper, largely staffed by journalists from the reformist daily Yas-e no, which was suspended on 18 February on the eve of parliamentary elections, has sharply criticised the hardliners and the new parliament dominated by their supporters.
Jomhouriat, a new paper which has only published 12 issues, was suspended on 18 July for the same reasons, a few days after publisher Javad Khorami Moaghadam had been summoned by the hardline Teheran prosecutor, Said Mortazavi, who demanded in vain that he sack the paperÕs editor, Emadoldin Baghi.
Baghi, who the authorities frequently summon in an effort to silence him, was given a yearÕs suspended prison sentence on 4 December last year by the Teheran revolutionary court, which cited no reason for the punishment. He was sentenced to three years in prison on 23 October 2000 for Òundermining national securityÓ and Òputting out false news.Ó
Since his release on 6 February 2003, he has been an active human rights campaigner, attacking in the reformist press freedom of expression violations and setting up an organisation to defend political prisoners. On 15 July, Jomhouriat had begun publishing the general introduction of the latest Reporters Without Borders annual report.
The monthly Aftab was suspended on 11 July for Òinsulting the Supreme GuideÓ and putting out Òfalse news.Ó It has been published since 2000 by a group of writers and intellectuals and editor Issa Sahakhiz, was arrested in 2003 for Òpropaganda against the regime.
posted by Anonymous at 1:56 AM
4 comments
Monday, July 19, 2004
No Foreign Country Will Be Allowed to Interfere in Kazemi Trial: Govt. Spokesman
www.tehrantimes.com
TEHRAN (MNA) -- Government spokesman Abdullah Ramezanzadeh said on Monday that Iran will not allow any country to interfere in the trial on the death of Zahra Kazemi.
“The trial is being held in the Islamic Republic of Iran and is about a tragic event which happened to an Iranian national. We will not allow any foreign country to interfere in the proceedings and there is no need for foreign observers,” Ramezanzadeh told reporters at his weekly press briefing.
“International law only recognizes the jurisdiction of the Iranian court to hear the case, and no other court is authorized to handle the case,” he added.
More
TEHRAN (MNA) -- Government spokesman Abdullah Ramezanzadeh said on Monday that Iran will not allow any country to interfere in the trial on the death of Zahra Kazemi.
“The trial is being held in the Islamic Republic of Iran and is about a tragic event which happened to an Iranian national. We will not allow any foreign country to interfere in the proceedings and there is no need for foreign observers,” Ramezanzadeh told reporters at his weekly press briefing.
“International law only recognizes the jurisdiction of the Iranian court to hear the case, and no other court is authorized to handle the case,” he added.
More
posted by Anonymous at 1:49 PM
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Iran censors media coverage of Kazemi trial
CREDIT: Canadian Press
ANGRY: Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham, right, at news conference Wednesday with Stephan Hashemi, son of Canadian journalist Zahra Kazemi, who died in Iranian custody.
TEHRAN, Iran - A hardline prosecutor has ordered Iranian newspapers to censor parts of the trial of a secret agent accused of murdering an Iranian-Canadian photojournalist, journalists said Monday.
Several Iranian reporters complained Monday to a spokesman for a reformist faction of Iran's governing establishment that Tehran prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi had called their offices telling them not to report on parts of the trial that included allegations against government hardliners. The trial ended abruptly on Sunday
One journalist said Mortazavi called him Sunday to say: "`It's in your interest to consider the murder trial over and avoid publishing things that you should not.'''
Hardliners in Iran's Islamic government were angered after a legal team representing the mother of slain photojournalist Zahra Kazemi accused prison official Mohammad Bakhshi of inflicting the fatal blow to Kazemi, and accused the hardline judiciary of illegally detaining her.
Most Iranian newspapers have not published the accusations against either Bakhshi or the prosecution.
"I was afraid to publicly put this to you during the press conference because I was afraid of possible punishment from Mortazavi,'' one of the journalists told the reformist spokesman, Abdollah Ramezanzadeh, after his weekly news conference Monday.
Ramezanzadeh said imposing such restrictions on newspapers was illegal.
"Restricting approved freedoms is against the constitution,'' he said, although it was unclear what the reformers could do about it.
The judiciary ordered two reformist publications to shut down Saturday, when the trial opened. A former judge, Mortazavi is widely seen as the man behind the closure of more than 100 pro-democracy publications in the last four years.
Ramezanzadeh denounced the judiciary for closing down newspapers and said judiciary actions were effectively discrediting the Islamic Republic.
"The government strongly deplores this. The government faces issues ... (to which) it can't respond at the international level or convince the public opinion ... one should not play with the fate of the country,'' Ramezanzadeh told reporters.
The agent charged with killing Kazemi, Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, pleaded not guilty Saturday. After initially barring foreign observers, several, including Canadian Ambassador Philip MacKinnon and other diplomats, were allowed to attended the session.
But on Sunday they blocked from entering the courtroom and the trial was abruptly ended, with the court saying it would issue a verdict at an unspecified later date.
MacKinnon was left standing in the sun outside the courthouse for more than 90 minutes as proceedings continued inside. "I am disappointed but not surprised by this flagrant denial of due process,'' MacKinnon, who has been called home by Ottawa, said in a telephone interview with the Toronto Star.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi, who leads a four-member legal team representing Kazemi's mother, walked out of the courtroom in protest and threatened to take the case to international organizations.
Abdolfattah Soltani, another member of Ebadi's team, said it was possible that Mortazavi himself was also a suspect.
The Canadian government has also raised the prospect of Mortazavi's involvement, and reformists have accused him of a coverup. The bill of indictment, which has cleared Bakhshi of any wrongdoing and implicated Ahmadi in the murder, was prepared by the hardline Tehran Prosecutor's Office.
Kazemi, a Montreal-based Canadian freelance journalist of Iranian origin, died July 10, 2003, while in detention for taking photographs outside a Tehran prison during student-led protests against the government.
Iranian authorities initially said Kazemi died of a stroke but a presidential committee later found that she died of a fractured skull and brain hemorrhage from a blow to the head.
The European Union's presidency expressed concern Sunday about the conclusion of the trial "in a very short time and in a way that does not do justice to the severity of the case and the circumstances under which Mrs. Kazemi died.''
Reporters Without Borders accused the court of "cynicism and hypocrisy'' and called on the European Community to impose tough sanctions on Iran to punish it for its "repeated violations of human rights.''
"The trial in the alleged murder of Zahra Kazemi was a test for the Iranian regime, unanimously condemned by international human rights organizations.'' the organization said in a statement.
"In transforming this trial into a masquerade of justice, Iranian authorities were once more discredited and deserve to be sanctioned,'' it said.
posted by Anonymous at 1:47 PM
1 comments
EU lambasts Iran over murdered photographer trial
www.eubusiness.com
19 July 2004
The European Union on Monday said it deplored Iran's handling of the trial of an intelligence agent accused of the killing in custody of an Iranian-Canadian photographer.
"The presidency of the EU expresses its concern that the proceedings in the case against the person accused of causing the death in custody of... Mrs Zahra Kazemi in July 2003 were concluded in a very short time and in a way that does not do justice to the severity of the case," said a statement from the Dutch EU presidency.
"The presidency deplores that EU and other diplomats in Tehran have been refused full access to the court," it added, referring to a move by the Islamic republic's hardline judiciary to bar foreign observers from Sunday's proceedings.
"This situation can only strengthen our concern that justice may not be done in this case and that no light will be shed on the exact circumstances of the gruesome death in custody of Mrs Kazemi," it added.
During Sunday's court session, Canadian ambassador Philip MacKinnon, Dutch ambassador Hein de Vries as well as senior French and British diplomats were bluntly told to stay out.
The judiciary also called an abrupt halt to the hearings after it was accused of charging the wrong man for the murder in order to protect one of its own officials.
Kazemi, a 54-year-old freelance photographer and a dual national, was arrested in June last for taking pictures outside Tehran's notorious Evin prison. She died from a brain haemorrhage July 10, 2003, after being struck by a blunt object while being interrogated.
The Dutch are the current holders of the rotating EU presidency, and are one of the most determined advocates of human rights issues with the 25-member bloc. Their embassy here has a strong human rights component to its work.
Canada's ambassador has been recalled over the incident.
posted by Anonymous at 2:57 AM
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Reporters Without Borders disgusted by sham trial in Kazemi murder case
"We are appalled at this denial of justice," the international press freedom organisation said. "The Iranian judiciary has displayed intolerable cynicism and hypocrisy in a case which the world sees as a test of intent by the Iranian regime, which has been unanimously condemned by international human rights organisations.
"By turning the trial into a mockery, the authorities have once more totally discredited themselves and deserve to have sanctions imposed on them," it said.
Reporters Without Borders welcomed the reaction of Canada which, for the third time in connection with the case, announced after the trial curtailment the recall of its ambassador (Philip MacKinnon) in protest. It urged Canada to keep up strong pressure on Iran.
MORE
posted by Anonymous at 2:06 AM
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Nobel laureate walks out of Iranian court to protest case of slain photojournalist
CREDIT: Vahid Salemi, the Associated Press
Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi, who leads a legal team representing Ezzat Kazemi, the mother of Zahra Kazemi, has denounced the investigation as incomplete and inadequate and the trial as unfair. 'I am so angry I cannot speak,' she told reporters.
(Tehran, Iran-AP, July 18, 2004 3:05 PM) _ Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi walked out of court Sunday to protest proceedings in the murder of an Iranian-Canadian photojournalist and threatened to take the case to international organizations.
Iran's hard-line judiciary on Sunday concluded the trial of a secret agent charged with killing photojournalist Zahra Kazemi. Canada's ambassador was barred from Sunday's court session, further straining Iranian-Canadian relations.
Ebadi, leading a four-member legal team representing the mother of the slain woman, is on her first high-profile case since winning the Noble Peace Prize last year.
Her next step in the case was not clear.
Kazemi, a Canadian freelance journalist of Iranian origin, died July 10, 2003, while in detention for taking photographs outside a Tehran prison during student-led protests against the ruling establishment.
Iranian authorities initially said Kazemi died of a stroke, but a presidential committee later found that she died of a fractured skull and brain hemorrhage from a blow to the head.
The court had only met three times in the trial of agent Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, a counterespionage expert and the only person implicated by the judiciary in the killing. He pleaded innocent Saturday.
No date was set for the verdict, but Ebadi protested the proceedings Sunday and refused to sign the indictment. She said the court needed to summon several top officials, including hard-line Tehran prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi, to explain Kazemi's murder.
"Whatever the verdict, it will be incorrect because the indictment was flawed ... we left the court in protest because our demands have been ignored," Ebadi said.
The Canadian government has blamed Mortazavi for the death. Mortazavi's office has denied the allegations.
The bill of indictment, which has cleared judiciary official Mohammad Bakhshi of any wrongdoing and implicated Ahmadi in the murder, was prepared by the Tehran Prosecutor's Office.
Ahmadi's lawyer, Qasem Shabani, said he expected his client to be acquitted.
"There is no reason for him to be convicted," Shabani told reporters outside the courthouse Sunday.
On Saturday, Ebadi's team accused Bakhshi of inflicting the fatal blow to Kazemi, and accused the hard-line judiciary of illegally detaining her.
Bakhshi has been cleared of any wrongdoing. But under Iranian law, lawyers can accuse someone already cleared of a crime.
Mohammad Seifzadeh, who is on Ebadi's team, accused the court of a coverup.
"It's clear that the person who inflicted the blow is free and the person who hasn't done so is standing trial and will later be acquitted and the whole crime will be covered up," Seifzadeh told reporters after the trial ended.
Iranian-Canadian relations, strained by the slaying, further deteriorated after Iran blocked Canadian observers from attending the trial. When the Canadian ambassador was about to be recalled for the second time over the issue, Iran agreed to allow diplomats to attend on Saturday.
However, Canadian and European diplomats and the media were denied access on Sunday.
Clearly outraged, Canadian Ambassador Philip Mackinnon and other diplomats left the building after waiting for nearly two hours outside the court.
Iranian officials defended the court's decision to keep diplomats and the media out.
"Zahra Kazemi was Iranian, and Canada's insistence that that lady was Canadian does not change anything," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said. He said the judge must decide whether to allow media access and that the government continues to oppose allowing a Canadian observer to attend the trial.
Asefi insisted that ties with Canada would not be harmed by the case. "Zahra Kazemi was an Iranian citizen and this has nothing to do with Canada," he said.
posted by Anonymous at 1:57 AM
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Canada Recalls Envoy to Iran to Protest Closed Murder Trial
CREDIT: Hasan Sarbakhshian, the Associated Press
Ezzat Kazemi, mother of Zahra Kazemi, appealed to the court on Saturday for justice, and yesterday her lawyer reacted angrily to the 'flawed, incomplete' investigation and trial. The elder Ms. Kazemi said her daughter's body, which was buried on the orders of Iranian authorities, showed obvious evidence of torture.
July 18 (Bloomberg) -- Canada decided to recall its ambassador to Iran for the second time in a week to protest a decision to again bar foreign observers from the trial of the accused killer of Iranian-Canadian journalist Zahra Kazemi.
``There can be no justice behind closed doors,'' Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham said in a statement in Ottawa. The ambassador ``will be returning to Canada immediately.'' Graham canceled an order earlier this week to bring back its envoy after promises the trial would be opened to observers.
Iranian officials today blocked reporters and Canadian, French and British diplomats from entering a courtroom in Tehran and then halted the trial, Agence France-Presse said. Iranian intelligence agent Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi faces a charge of ``semi-intentional murder'' for the death, a charge with a maximum penalty of three years in jail, AFP said.
Kazemi died in an Iranian hospital last July from a brain hemorrhage after being arrested for taking pictures outside Tehran's Evin prison.
posted by Anonymous at 1:56 AM
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Sunday, July 18, 2004
Request by the Human Rights Activist Groups in Europe and North America to the People of Canada and Iran
Freedom loving people
Human Rights advocates
People in mass media
It has been a year since the murder of Zahra Kazemi, the Canadian -Iranian Photojournalist, in Evin prison. According to the report by the commission on article 90 of Iran's parliament, based on a scenario, it was planned that Zahra would confess to spying under the torture. This crime, based on the power structure in the "Islamic Republic of Iran ", has the approval seal of its leader.
On Saturday July the 17th, once more the court of an accused of this murder will begin. Iran's government, during the last year, has adopted the strategy of "wasting the time " by coming with contradictory statements and deeds. The Canadian government with the eyes on its short and mid term economical and political interest and with hopes to gain amid power struggle in Iran has also accepted the "wasting time" strategy.
Based on the dark record of the ruling regime in Iran on widespread, continued and planned violation of human rights (such as files on chain murdering, suppressing students, massacre des prisonniers politiques, and...) just only over the past year, based on the report we have gathered through Iran's media, at least on an average in every eight hours, one case of human right's violation in Iran has been reported. Therefore, it seems, this case too does not have better outcome than other cases and will not end up with a result.
We, the human right's advocates in Europe and North America, believe that fulfillment of the following demands is the first step to demonstrate the necessary will for the fact finding:
1- Repatriate the body of Zahra Kazemi to Canada, and
2- Formation of impartial international inquiry commission
Once more, with our emphasis on these demands one night before the aforesaid "court", we say that we did not forget and will not forget Zahra Kazemi and other victims of violation of human rights in Iran.
July 16, 2004
posted by Anonymous at 10:55 AM
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Indignation as Iran halts controversial Kazemi trial
www.channelnewsasia.com
TEHRAN : Iran's hardline judiciary, accused of a cover-up in the death of Iranian-Canadian photographer Zahra Kazemi, drew fresh indignation by barring diplomats and journalists from the trial of her alleged killer and then abruptly halting the case.As the second round of hearings into the controversial case opened, Canadian ambassador Philip Mackinnon, Dutch ambassador Hein De Vries as well as senior diplomats from the French and British embassies were bluntly told to stay out.
more
TEHRAN : Iran's hardline judiciary, accused of a cover-up in the death of Iranian-Canadian photographer Zahra Kazemi, drew fresh indignation by barring diplomats and journalists from the trial of her alleged killer and then abruptly halting the case.As the second round of hearings into the controversial case opened, Canadian ambassador Philip Mackinnon, Dutch ambassador Hein De Vries as well as senior diplomats from the French and British embassies were bluntly told to stay out.
more
posted by Anonymous at 6:59 AM
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Ebadi Says Wrong Man Tried Over Kazemi's Death
Sunday, July 18, 2004 6:30 a.m. ET
By Parisa Hafezi
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi accused Iran's hard-line judiciary on Sunday of prosecuting an innocent man for the killing of a Canadian journalist in order to protect one of its own officials.
Ebadi's comments are likely to fuel international concern about the transparency of the trial, which has strained Iran's relations with Canada, and heightened rifts between the reformist government and judiciary.
Photographer Zahra Kazemi died in custody after she was arrested in Tehran last July. An intelligence agent is charged with killing her.
Visibly furious, Ebadi stormed out of the courtroom at the end of the trial, and said the judge had disregarded evidence that Kazemi was dealt a fatal blow by a judiciary official inside Tehran's notorious Evin prison.
"I'm so angry I cannot speak. They didn't even pay attention to our evidence and announced the end of the trial," she told reporters outside the Tehran court.
"This is not a fair trial. The case hasn't been reviewed. If they issue a verdict it will be unfair," said Ebadi, who was representing Kazemi's family at the trial.
Lawyers said they expected the judge to announce his verdict next week.
Prosecutors have accused Intelligence Ministry agent Mohammad Reza Aqdam of what they call the semi-intentional murder of 54-year-old Kazemi, who was arrested for taking photographs outside Evin. Aqdam has denied the charge.
Even President Mohammad Khatami, siding with the reformist-run Intelligence Ministry, has said he believes Aqdam is innocent and has called on the judiciary to identify "the real guilty person."
KAZEMI TORTURED TO DEATH - MOTHER
The judiciary initially announced Kazemi had died of a stroke. But a subsequent government inquiry showed she received a blow to the head in Evin that cracked her skull and caused a brain hemorrhage. She died in hospital, 10 days after lapsing into a coma.
Ebadi and Aqdam's lawyers said the court had ignored accounts by witnesses who said Kazemi was hit on the head by a judiciary official named Mohammad Bakhshi shortly after her arrest.
"Aqdam's lawyer identified the real killer but the court doesn't want to pay attention," she said.
The trial resumed on Saturday after a nine-month delay with dramatic testimony from Kazemi's tearful mother, who said her daughter was tortured to death.
"There were burns on my daughter's chest, her fingers and nose and toes were broken ... she was tortured to death," Ezzat Kazemi told the court.
Canadian, Dutch, British and French diplomats and foreign media were barred from the court on Sunday, although they had been allowed to attend on Saturday. Diplomats warned the ban would hurt Iran's human rights image.
"This will have a bad impact on the human rights issue," one of the diplomats barred from Sunday's session told Reuters. "The next time it comes to discussing Iran's human rights situation we will have nothing positive to say."
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman insisted the trial was transparent and warned Canada not to interfere.
"We have to be accountable to Iranian citizens about this case not to a foreign country," Hamid Reza Asefi told a weekly news conference.
By Parisa Hafezi
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi accused Iran's hard-line judiciary on Sunday of prosecuting an innocent man for the killing of a Canadian journalist in order to protect one of its own officials.
Ebadi's comments are likely to fuel international concern about the transparency of the trial, which has strained Iran's relations with Canada, and heightened rifts between the reformist government and judiciary.
Photographer Zahra Kazemi died in custody after she was arrested in Tehran last July. An intelligence agent is charged with killing her.
Visibly furious, Ebadi stormed out of the courtroom at the end of the trial, and said the judge had disregarded evidence that Kazemi was dealt a fatal blow by a judiciary official inside Tehran's notorious Evin prison.
"I'm so angry I cannot speak. They didn't even pay attention to our evidence and announced the end of the trial," she told reporters outside the Tehran court.
"This is not a fair trial. The case hasn't been reviewed. If they issue a verdict it will be unfair," said Ebadi, who was representing Kazemi's family at the trial.
Lawyers said they expected the judge to announce his verdict next week.
Prosecutors have accused Intelligence Ministry agent Mohammad Reza Aqdam of what they call the semi-intentional murder of 54-year-old Kazemi, who was arrested for taking photographs outside Evin. Aqdam has denied the charge.
Even President Mohammad Khatami, siding with the reformist-run Intelligence Ministry, has said he believes Aqdam is innocent and has called on the judiciary to identify "the real guilty person."
KAZEMI TORTURED TO DEATH - MOTHER
The judiciary initially announced Kazemi had died of a stroke. But a subsequent government inquiry showed she received a blow to the head in Evin that cracked her skull and caused a brain hemorrhage. She died in hospital, 10 days after lapsing into a coma.
Ebadi and Aqdam's lawyers said the court had ignored accounts by witnesses who said Kazemi was hit on the head by a judiciary official named Mohammad Bakhshi shortly after her arrest.
"Aqdam's lawyer identified the real killer but the court doesn't want to pay attention," she said.
The trial resumed on Saturday after a nine-month delay with dramatic testimony from Kazemi's tearful mother, who said her daughter was tortured to death.
"There were burns on my daughter's chest, her fingers and nose and toes were broken ... she was tortured to death," Ezzat Kazemi told the court.
Canadian, Dutch, British and French diplomats and foreign media were barred from the court on Sunday, although they had been allowed to attend on Saturday. Diplomats warned the ban would hurt Iran's human rights image.
"This will have a bad impact on the human rights issue," one of the diplomats barred from Sunday's session told Reuters. "The next time it comes to discussing Iran's human rights situation we will have nothing positive to say."
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman insisted the trial was transparent and warned Canada not to interfere.
"We have to be accountable to Iranian citizens about this case not to a foreign country," Hamid Reza Asefi told a weekly news conference.
posted by Anonymous at 6:57 AM
1 comments
Iran Court Told Canadian Was Tortured to Death
Reuters
By Parisa Hafezi
(Reuters) - July 18 2004 3:54
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Canadian journalist Zahra Kazemi was tortured to death in Iranian custody, her tearful mother told a court Saturday when the trial resumed of an intelligence agent accused of the killing.
"There were burns on my daughter's chest, her fingers and toes and nose were broken ... she was tortured to death," Ezzat Kazemi told the court after a nine-month delay in proceedings.
The case has strained Iran's relations with Canada, prompting Ottawa to withdraw its ambassador this week, and has exposed deep rifts between President Mohammad Khatami's reformist government and the hard-line judiciary.
The intelligence agent, Mohammad Reza Aqdam, has denied a charge of what the court calls the semi-intentional murder of Kazemi, a 54-year-old of Iranian descent who was arrested outside Tehran's Evin prison last July for taking photographs.
more
By Parisa Hafezi
(Reuters) - July 18 2004 3:54
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Canadian journalist Zahra Kazemi was tortured to death in Iranian custody, her tearful mother told a court Saturday when the trial resumed of an intelligence agent accused of the killing.
"There were burns on my daughter's chest, her fingers and toes and nose were broken ... she was tortured to death," Ezzat Kazemi told the court after a nine-month delay in proceedings.
The case has strained Iran's relations with Canada, prompting Ottawa to withdraw its ambassador this week, and has exposed deep rifts between President Mohammad Khatami's reformist government and the hard-line judiciary.
The intelligence agent, Mohammad Reza Aqdam, has denied a charge of what the court calls the semi-intentional murder of Kazemi, a 54-year-old of Iranian descent who was arrested outside Tehran's Evin prison last July for taking photographs.
more
posted by Anonymous at 6:57 AM
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Defence team accuses Iranian hardline judiciary official of murdering Kazemi
www.cbc.ca
09:51 AM EDT Jul 18
ALI AKBAR DAREINI
TEHRAN, Iran (CP) - In eight dramatic hours of a public trial, lawyers for the mother of a slain Iranian-Canadian photojournalist blamed a hardline judiciary official for the murder of Zahra Kazemi while in detention, not the intelligence agent standing trial for the crime.
Canadian ambassador Philip Mackinnon was allowed to attend the trial, despite an earlier refusal by the Iranian authorities, who considered the case "a domestic affair".
Outraged at the refusal, Ottawa recalled the ambassador to Iran earlier this week and threatened economic and trade sanctions.
Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, the agent and only person implicated by the judiciary in what is called the "semi-premeditated murder" of Kazemi, pleaded innocent. The victim's mother, Ezzat Kazemi, wept and demanded justice.
more
09:51 AM EDT Jul 18
ALI AKBAR DAREINI
TEHRAN, Iran (CP) - In eight dramatic hours of a public trial, lawyers for the mother of a slain Iranian-Canadian photojournalist blamed a hardline judiciary official for the murder of Zahra Kazemi while in detention, not the intelligence agent standing trial for the crime.
Canadian ambassador Philip Mackinnon was allowed to attend the trial, despite an earlier refusal by the Iranian authorities, who considered the case "a domestic affair".
Outraged at the refusal, Ottawa recalled the ambassador to Iran earlier this week and threatened economic and trade sanctions.
Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, the agent and only person implicated by the judiciary in what is called the "semi-premeditated murder" of Kazemi, pleaded innocent. The victim's mother, Ezzat Kazemi, wept and demanded justice.
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posted by Anonymous at 6:56 AM
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Lawyers accuse Iranian judiciary official of murdering Kazemi
Associated Press and Canadian Press
Tehran — In eight dramatic hours of a public trial, lawyers for the mother of a slain Iranian-Canadian photojournalist blamed a hard-line judiciary official for the murder of Zahra Kazemi while in detention, not the intelligence agent standing trial for the crime.
Canadian Ambassador Philip Mackinnon was allowed to attend the trial, despite an earlier refusal by the Iranian authorities, who considered the case "a domestic affair".
more
Tehran — In eight dramatic hours of a public trial, lawyers for the mother of a slain Iranian-Canadian photojournalist blamed a hard-line judiciary official for the murder of Zahra Kazemi while in detention, not the intelligence agent standing trial for the crime.
Canadian Ambassador Philip Mackinnon was allowed to attend the trial, despite an earlier refusal by the Iranian authorities, who considered the case "a domestic affair".
more
posted by Anonymous at 6:55 AM
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Friday, July 16, 2004
Canada blasts Iran for closing Kazemi trial
www.theglobeandmail.com
By BRIAN LAGHIFriday, July 16, 2004 - Page A4
OTTAWA -- The federal government accused Iranian officials of contradicting each other yesterday about why Canadians have been barred from the trial of the man accused of killing Zahra Kazemi, saying the account of Iran's ambassador conflicts with that of its Foreign Minister.
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By BRIAN LAGHIFriday, July 16, 2004 - Page A4
OTTAWA -- The federal government accused Iranian officials of contradicting each other yesterday about why Canadians have been barred from the trial of the man accused of killing Zahra Kazemi, saying the account of Iran's ambassador conflicts with that of its Foreign Minister.
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posted by Anonymous at 8:24 AM
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Reporters Without Borders denounces "disgraceful" banning of foreigners from trial of photojournalist's alleged killers
Reporters Without Borders called on Iran today to reverse its "disgraceful" decision to bar Canadian diplomats from the 17 July resumption in Teheran of the trial of those responsible for causing the death of Canadian-Iranian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi in July last year by beating her during interrogation at Teheran's Evin prison.
"We urge the authorities to keep their promise and ensure that foreign observers can attend the whole trial, especially Canadian diplomats and representatives of the Canadian branch of Reporters Without Borders, whose requests for visas to go to Iran have not been answered," the worldwide press freedom organisation said.
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posted by Anonymous at 8:18 AM
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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL - Iran: Trial of Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi - AI appoints trial observer
Public Statement AI Index: MDE 13/029/2004 (Public) News Service No: 179 15 July 2004
Iran: Trial of Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi - AI appoints trial observer
Amnesty International has delegated the Syrian lawyer and human rights defender, Khalil Matouk to observe the trial of Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi. Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, an official of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence, has reportedly been charged in connection with the death in custody on 12 July 2003 of Zahra Kazemi, a dual Canadian-Iranian national. Amnesty International has requested assistance from the Iranian authorities in facilitating the granting of a visa to Khalil Matouk and for him to be accredited to observe the trial but is awaiting response. Amnesty International has repeatedly called for the establishment of an open and independent investigative mechanism with judicial powers to examine all facets of the death in custody of Zahra Kazemi. Amnesty International believes that such a mechanism must have the power to summon witnesses, including members of the Office of the Tehran Chief Prosecutor, compel the disclosure of documents, ensure the protection of witnesses from harassment or intimidation, and develop mechanisms to prevent the recurrence of similar human rights violations in the future. While welcoming the individual enquiries established by the government, parliament and other bodies, the organization believes that these lack the operational scope and legal power required to reach credible conclusions and recommendations. Background On 23 June 2003 Canadian-Iranian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi, 53, was arrested for taking photographs outside Evin prison, in an area where photography is prohibited. According to a government enquiry, Zahra Kazemi died as a result of a blow to her skull, while under guard at the Baghiyetollah (or Baghiyeta'zam) Hospital in Tehran on 12 July 2003. The report recommended that the case be examined by a "special independent investigator" from the judiciary and that public information should be "swift". On 29 July 2003 judicial officials confirmed that five individuals had been arrested in connection with the case, of which three are said to be from Tehran's judiciary and two from the Ministry of Intelligence. On 30 July 2003 a government spokesperson stated that Zahra Kazemi was murdered. Four of the individuals initially detained were later released. Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi was charged in connection with the death in custody of Zahra Kazemi and on 2 October 2003, he appeared in court to plead not guilty to the charges, while further hearings were adjourned to permitted lawyers of the Kazemi family time to prepare their case. Khalil Matouk is a lawyer and human rights defender, familiar with politically motivated criminal charges and trials before state security and criminal courts. Khalil Matouk is a founding member of a group of Syrian lawyers that provides representation and legal assistance for prisoners of conscience in the region and he has participated and contributed to numerous seminars and worships covering various human rights topics including the promotion of human rights culture in the Arab region, and the International Criminal Court. For more information concerning the death in custody of Zahra Kazemi, please see: An independent inquiry must be opened into the death of Zahra Kazemi, AI Index MDE 13/022/2003, 15 July 2003. It can be viewed at: http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE130222003?open&of=ENG-IRN And: Only an independent investigative body can serve justice and human rights, AI Index MDE 13/026/2003, 1 August 2003, which can be viewed at: http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE130222003?open&of=ENG-IRN
posted by Anonymous at 8:09 AM
1 comments
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