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Iranian Prosecutor Blamed for Murder
EFL:Iranâs reformist-dominated parliament on Tuesday accused hard-line Tehran prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi of illegally detaining a Canadian photojournalist and then covering up facts surrounding her death in custody in July. Zahra Kazemi, a Canadian of Iranian origin, died July 10, about three weeks after being detained for taking photographs outside a Tehran prison during student-led protests against the ruling Islamic establishment. An intelligence agent charged with her alleged beating death has pleaded innocent. In Tuesdayâs report, the parliament held Mortazavi responsible, as the highest authority in the Tehran prosecutorâs office. The report will be sent to the judiciary, Parliamentary Speaker Mahdi Karroubi said - likely meaning Mortazavi will be summoned for questioning in the trial of the intelligence agent. It is too early to tell if charges would be filed against Mortazavi. I wonât hold my breath. "The detention of Kazemi ... was unjustified ... and against legal procedures," the parliament said in its report on the death, read out in an open session and broadcast live on state-run Tehran radio. The parliament accused Mortazavi - who said Kazemi died of a stroke - of covering up facts about her death and having no evidence when he accused her of spying for foreign intelligence agencies and having no permission to work. The report said Kazemi carried an official press card to work authorized by Culture Ministry officials. Oops! The report, citing police and intelligence reports, said Kazemi was first severely beaten by judiciary officials in Evin prison, north of Tehran. It said 20 guards who witnessed and reported the beating were later forced to change their reports. The prison books have also been tampered with, the parliamentary report said. Tap, tap, nope A committee appointed by the president concluded that Kazemi died of head injuries sustained while in custody. The report also condemned Mortazavi for failing to respond to questions justifying Kazemiâs detention and refusing to attend parliamentary sessions to offer explanations. Guess he doesnât think much of them Tehranâs deputy prosecutor general last month charged Intelligence Ministry agent Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi with "semi premeditated murder" in Kazemiâs death. The prosecutor said Ahmadi was the only interrogator who spent long periods of time alone with Kazemi and that the agent refused to answer some questions about Kazemiâs treatment and gave contradictory statements. The Intelligence Ministry, which is loosely controlled by reformists, rejected Ahmadiâs indictment, claiming a judicial official assaulted Kazemi. The intel troops apparently were not happy at being picked as the fall guy. Posted by: Steve 2003-10-28 |
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