28.05.2008 - Source: Amnesty International

11-year-old Baluchi girl shot dead by the police; no investigation has been held into her killing ("Annual Report 2008") [ID 23478]

"In May [2007] police shot dead Roya Sarani, an 11-year-old Baluchi girl, while she was being driven home from school by her father in Zahedan. The authorities reportedly put pressure on her family to hold a small funeral. No official investigation was believed to have been held into her killing."

Document(s): Open document

28.05.2008 - Source: Amnesty International

Zahra Bani Yaghoub died in detention; authorities said she had hanged herself but her family said she was in good spirits; head of the detention centre was later detained, released on bail and finally remained in office ("Annual Report 2008") [ID 23488]

"Zahra Bani Yaghoub, a medical graduate, died in custody in Hamadan in October. She was arrested for walking in a park with her fiancé and died in detention the next day. The authorities said she had hanged herself.

Her family said that she was in good spirits when they spoke to her on the phone half an hour before she was found dead. A report in November indicated that the head of the detention centre had been detained, but was then released on bail and remained in office."

Document(s): Open document

28.05.2008 - Source: Amnesty International

A retrial was ordered in the case of the 2003 death in custody of Zahra Kazemi, a Canadian-Iranian photojournalist ("Annual Report 2008") [ID 23489]

"In November, a retrial was ordered in the case of the 2003 death in custody of Zahra Kazemi, a Canadian-Iranian photojournalist. She was tortured to death, but the only person prosecuted was acquitted in 2004, a decision upheld in 2005. She had been arrested for taking photographs outside Evin Prison."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Supreme Court overturned the murder convictions of six members of the Basij for five killings in 2002 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 22735]

"On April 18, the Supreme Court overturned the murder convictions of six members of the Basij, a paramilitary volunteer force formally connected with the IRGC, for five killings in 2002 on the grounds that the Basij members stated they believed Islam permitted the killings because the individuals were engaged in "morally corrupt" behavior.

In 2002 the Basij members reportedly killed the five individuals by stoning, drowning, and burying one person alive. The lower court previously found all six men guilty of murder."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

In December 2007 the Supreme Court decided to reinvestigate the death of Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi; she died in custody in 2003 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 22736]

"On December 11, according to domestic press reports, the Supreme Court annulled the original verdict of the primary court in the case of the 2003 death of Zahra Kazemi, a dual Iranian-Canadian citizen, and determined it would be reinvestigated.

Kazemi, a photojournalist arrested for taking pictures outside Evin Prison during a student-led protest, died in custody in 2003 after security forces tortured her.

Authorities admitted that she died as a result of a blow to the head but claimed the death was "unintentional" and acquitted an intelligence officer in 2004. Tehran General Prosecutor, Saeed Mortazavi, was reportedly involved in her death.

In June 2006 the Kazemi family filed a civil case against the Iranian government in Canadian courts."

Document(s): Open document

31.01.2008 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Despite evidence, Tehran’s public prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi has not been held responsible for his role in illegal detentions, torture of detainees, and coercing false confessions ("World Report 2008") [ID 22515]

"There is no mechanism for monitoring and investigating human rights violations perpetrated by agents of the government. The closure of independent media in Iran has helped to perpetuate an atmosphere of impunity.

In recent years public testimonies by numerous former detainees have implicated Tehran’s public prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi and his office in some of the worst cases of human rights violations. Despite extensive evidence, Mortazavi has not been held responsible for his role in illegal detentions, torture of detainees, and coercing false confessions.

The case of Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi, who died in the custody of judiciary and security agents led by Mortazavi in June 2003, remains unresolved. [...]"

Document(s): Open document

31.01.2008 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Current interior minister, who was implicated in extrajudicial killings of thousands of political prisoners in 1988, has not been held responsible for this deed ("World Report 2008") [ID 23318]

"[...] Mustafa Pour-Mohammadi, the current interior minister, has been implicated in extrajudicial killings of thousands of political prisoners in 1988.[...]"

Document(s): Open document

31.01.2008 - Source: Human Rights Watch

No mechanism for monitoring and investigating human rights violations: Despite evidence, Tehran’s public prosecutor Mortazavi has not been held responsible for his role in illegal detentions, torture of detainees and coercing false confessions ("World Report 2008") [ID 23557]

"There is no mechanism for monitoring and investigating human rights violations perpetrated by agents of the government. The closure of independent media in Iran has helped to perpetuate an atmosphere of impunity.

In recent years public testimonies by numerous former detainees have implicated Tehran’s public prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi and his office in some of the worst cases of human rights violations. Despite extensive evidence, Mortazavi has not been held responsible for his role in illegal detentions, torture of detainees, and coercing false confessions.

The case of Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi, who died in the custody of judiciary and security agents led by Mortazavi in June 2003, remains unresolved. Mustafa Pour-Mohammadi, the current interior minister, has been implicated in extrajudicial killings of thousands of political prisoners in 1988."

Document(s): Open document

27.11.2007 - Source: BBC News

Top court orders a new probe into the death of the Iranian-Canadian journalist, Zahra Kazemi, in 2003 ("Iran court reopens Kazemi case") [ID 22077]

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

In 2005 appeals court ordered the case of Zahra Kazemi's death to be reopened; she died in custody in 2003 as a result of a blow to the head after allegedly being tortured ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19341]

"In November 2005 an appeals court ordered the case involving the death of Zahra Kazemi, a dual-national Iranian-Canadian citizen, to be reopened; however, at year's end there was no progress and the case remained under review. Kazemi, a photojournalist, was arrested for taking pictures while outside Evin Prison in Tehran during student-led protests. She died in custody in 2003 after allegedly being tortured. Authorities admitted that she died as a result of a blow to the head. In June the Kazemi family filed a civil case against the Iranian government in Canadian courts."

Document(s): Open document

01.2007 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Akbar Mohammadi and Valiollah Feyz Mahdavi, held for their political beliefs, died in prison ("World Report 2007") [ID 18995]

"In 2006 two prisoners held for their political beliefs, Akbar Mohammadi and Valiollah Feyz Mahdavi, died in suspicious circumstances in prison. The authorities prevented their families from conducting independent autopsies. The government has taken no action to investigate the cause of the deaths."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Iranian-Canadian photographer was killed in custody; a criminal investigation was not initiated; judge ruled that the death had been accidental ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46058],  [ID 18358]

"In 2003 an Iranian-Canadian photographer, Zahra Kazemi, died in custody after being arrested for taking photographs at Evin prison in Tehran. After initially claiming that she died following a stroke, the government admitted that she died as a result of a blow to the head. In July 2004 a court acquitted an intelligence ministry official accused of her death. In December 2004 the Kazemi family protested the failure of the court to convict anyone and requested a criminal investigation, which led to a May 16 appeals court hearing. After the family protested the judge's decision to close the hearing to the public, the judge ended the session. When it reopened on July 25, the judge banned foreign observers, rejected the appeal, upheld the 2004 judgment that Kazemi's death had been accidental, and ruled that the court was not in a position to reopen the case. The court did not release the hearing's dossier.

On November 23, the judiciary released its verdict on the Kazemi case, confirming that the intelligence agent originally charged was not guilty and expressing that there were "shortcomings in the investigation." The judiciary stated that the case was being transferred to another court for further investigation. The judiciary spokesman said the case was not closed and further examination was needed, including reviewing potential suspects, but indicated no timeframe for the investigation. The Kazemi lawyers charged that someone from the judiciary, not the intelligence ministry, was responsible for her death. At year's end there had been no further action."

Document(s): Open document

04.03.2005 - Source: UN Human Rights Council (formerly UN Commission on Human Rights)

Written statement by the International Federation for Human Rights Leagues (FIDH) on freedom of expression, torture, women rights, discrimination against minorities and the death penalty ("Question of the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world [E/CN.4/2005/NGO/158]") [#30291],  [ID 9484]

"[...]
Impunity for the perpetrators of acts of torture was blatantly exemplified by the Zahra Kazemi case : the judgement made public in July 2004 acquitted intelligence agent Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi. The trial did not meet the fair trial guarantees and three UN Special Rapporteurs (on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, on the independence of judges and lawyers and on torture) expressed their concerns in a joint statement: "The independent experts fear that by failing to ensure an open trial and the independent functioning of the judiciary - which should take into account all findings that could shed light on this case - the 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".[...]"

Document(s): Open document