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Zahra Kazemi

Those of you who read this blog regularly (and I certainly appreciate you all) may have noticed that one Iran-related topic has been noticeably absent from my posts. Up to this point, I have not commented on or discussed the murder of Iranian-Canadian journalist Zahra Kazemi. At least 3 of you actually bothered to write me about it and inquire as to the reasons. I will explain why I did it as the silence is now over.

When the news of Kazemi's brutal and unnecessary murder was first published, I was in Toronto. I thought I should try to use some of my fading clout to see if anything can be done about it. As the first Iranian-Canadian nominated for a seat in the Canadian Parliament, ex-President of Iranian Community Association of Ontario, Director of Canadian Iranian Centre for Liberty & Equality (CIRCLE) and extensive involvement in numerous other campaigns, organizations and events, I figured somebody may listen to me. Well they did, but I am not sure if it made much of a difference.

My main goal was to try to get to the truth of what actually happened to her. The original explanations of "brain hemorrhage" or "stroke" didn't make any sense and there was an urgent need to find out more. I contacted a few of my friends (meaning those who'd know me on first name basis, but not close enough to invite me to private cocktail parties) who still occupy a seat in Parliament Hills. I was also careful not to make this a partisan effort (hey, I am not residing in Canada and therefore have no current and active membership in any party up there anyways), so I tried anyone who would listen from any political stripe. For my American readers, Canada isn't restricted to a choice of Pepsi or Coke when it comes to political representation and there is a presence of Mountain Dew and Orange Soda too with rumors of occasional glimpses of a few Labatt's Blues here and there.

My proposal to these distinguished members was simple; let's form a parliamentary committee, add experts from various fields (medical, human rights, international law, etc.) and go conduct our own investigation. We'll start with the crime scene, ask to speak to witnesses, question her captors, inquire the opinion of the physicians who treated her, examine the body and basically whatever we will be allowed to do to shed some light on the truth. I was sure at least a faction of Iranian government would co-operate and open some doors, plus we could carry so much information with us through the community of Iranians abroad, including details of secret cells and prisons, identity of interrogators and in short whatever may help putting the pieces of this puzzle together.

Well, I'm sorry to say that after almost three weeks I received the final reply to my proposal today and couldn't find a single MP to either have the balls (excuse my French) or interest to pursue the matter further. It was such a disappointing experience I am truly humiliated of even bothering to ask.

Now I had stayed away from saying anything because I truly wanted to remain neutral. Since I had volunteered to go with the group as translator or guide or whatever, I did not want to put their neutrality in question by already stating how I felt about the matter and keeping a completely open mind to not jeopardize their investigation. Well, since that is now all dead, here's my opinion:

This is a blatant murder of a journalist that was only doing her job by covering a public event. She was killed by her interrogators and while in their custody by what appears to be severe blows to her head.

This type of torture is common in prisons of Iranian regime. Most prisoners are trampled severely during the original interrogations, many die under such brutal beatings. The treatment is so savage, many usual "interrogation rooms" have a floor covered in a mixture of blood, other bodily fluids plus small and large parts of skin or other body parts. I remember passing out in one such room once, only to came to again by a bucket of water thrown on my face and looking at the floor my head was laying on and in the midst of this burgundy-grey-purple semi-hardened liquid there was a complete and in tact large finger nail. I learned later of this one interrogator's favorite torture where he would stick long needles under your nails and if that wasn't painful enough, he would then hold a lighter to the part still sticking out and as the needle got hot you'd eventually lose nails one after another.

I don't know what types of torture Zahra was exposed to. We may never know as her body is now buried and will probably never be examined properly. However, it is easy to imagine the kind of suffering she had to endure and unless an independent international body is ever allowed to investigate the matter fully, the truth will never be known. I tried in my own small way to get a start on such issue and failed to find any attentive ears. I hope others will not let the matter drop.

While I am at it, let me say how disgusted I am at the attempted diversion the Iranian government is trying to pull by coming out against the death of an Iranian teenager in a Vancouver suburb. Keyvan Tabesh's case is not even remotely close to what Kazemi went through. Whether Keyvan was a danger to the officers, or if being shot 5 times was necessary or if race played a part in that event is all questions that can and must be addressed by proper authorities and by way of suitable resources available to his family. However a teenage shot after a car chase and a journalist being detained, tortured and then murdered are in no way comparable events and it is a shame for a regime that has never been interested in murder of many Iranians around the globe to suddenly use this event as retaliation.

Lastly, on July 18th I had written an op-ed piece for The Toronto Star but their opinions page editor Jim Atkins decided not to publish it. Although some of the information is now dated, you can read it by clicking on the "continue" link below:

Team Canada should travel to Tehran

by; Pedram Moallemian

July 18, 2003

Days turn into weeks and soon it will be months. The brutal death of a Canadian by torture will be forgotten before long and we will all go back to wondering if the Jays can put a winning streak together or how long would it take for Eves to decide the atmosphere is suitable to call an election he could win. Or will it?

Zahra Kazemi a Montreal based Iranian-Canadian journalist was arrested in Tehran on June 23, while taking pictures around the menacing compound of Evin prison. She was photographing demonstrators protesting the arrest of their loved-ones during the latest crack down on student demonstrations for Camera Press Journal. What happens after that is still unclear but weeks later and while still in detention, she dies from injuries to the head area. French newspaper Libération recently accused the head prosecutor of Tehran's revolutionary court, Saeed Mortazavi of delivering a fatal kick to Kazemi's head. This is Iran, where prosecutors are also interrogators and interrogations normally involve physical torture.

Saeed Mortazavi is notorious already for his actions in closure of over 100 publications and detention of their journalists. The special press court is where he earned his stripes to get a promotion to the higher echelons of a corrupt and infamous judiciary system.

Canadian government was quick to make a strong statement abut this brutal and unwarranted murder. Ottawa demanded return of kazemi's body for an autopsy in Canada and warned of diplomatic measures if Tehran fails to co-operate. Later on, Prime Minister Chrétien told reporters that "We are very keen on having the truth ... and if crimes have been committed, we will demand (the perpetrators) face justice."

President Khatami responded to the call from Ottawa by ordering a special committee to investigate the murder. On Wednesday Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi, fearing further diplomatic isolation, assured his Canadian counterpart Bill Graham in a telephone conversation of a rapid resolution to the probe into her death but followed with a statement that "everybody has to wait until the real cause of Mrs. Kazemi's death is clarified." Kharazi then demonstrated the typical arrogance typically shown by some Iranian officials by stating ""In our view, no foreign government has the right to make any special comment in this regard."

Meanwhile Tehran has refused the request of Kazemi's son for return of his mother's body. The coroners report in Iran has not been released to the public but passed on to the "committee" set up by Khatami. It should be noted that Kazemi was arrested by the Intelligence Ministry, a body reporting directly to and under responsibility of Khatami. Having the cabinet and their advisors investigate other members of the cabinet and their establishment is curious if not corrupt. One member of the committee, Health Minister Massoud Pezeshkian has already acknowledged that he has personally examined the body and found no "bruises or cuts on the face", typical of a tortured prisoner. He then reportedly got angry at the suggestion of allowing Canadians to also examine the body, stating "We are knowledgeable enough to examine the body and find out the cause of her death, so we will not allow foreign teams to investigate." If there's nothing to hide, why so much secrecy?

As for the special committee, the last time a similar endeavor was put into practice (although more aggressively and with special courts and prosecutors also involved) was to investigate the brutal treatment of the demonstrators arrested, tortured, detained and killed by the police in 1999. At the end, only one drafted soldier was convicted of any crime. He received a minimal sentence for stealing an electric shaver from student's dormitory. In contrast, one student received a 10 year sentence for being photographed while holding a bloody shirt of an injured friend.

Are we going to allow this system to now bring to light the truth behind the fate of a fellow Canadian? We must take action and take action immediately.

I put forward the notion of creating our own "committee". This "Team Canada" should include one MP from all parties in parliament, plus physicians, human rights authorities and other experts to travel to Iran, survey the "crime scene", interview the accused, and examine the evidence. Thousands of former Iranian political prisoners currently living in Canada and elsewhere can provide all the details of covert prisons, interrogator's identities and other vital data to assist in this effort.

Only then we can once and for all find out what actually happened to Zahra Kazemi and finding out what happened to her is not only to the benefit of Iranian-Canadians, but every Canadian of every heritage, political or religious beliefs and profession needs the assurance that if ever faced with brutal, animalistic and cruel oppression in any corner of this globe, Canadian people and their government will not forget them and will do everything possible to restore their rights, protect their interest and stand up for what is just, honorable and fair.

Posted by Pedram at July 30, 2003 11:28 PM