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RSF declares support for Canadian proposal for Kazemi autopsy

(RSF/IFEX) - RSF has expressed its support for a Canadian proposal to Iranian authorities that would see three forensic experts - a Canadian, an Iranian and one chosen jointly by both parties - carry out an autopsy on the body of journalist Zahra Kazemi, who died in custody in Iran in July 2003. Kazemi held both Canadian and Iranian nationalities.

"We also reiterate our support for the demand by Zahra Kazemi's son, Stephan Hachemi, and by the Canadian government for her body to be repatriated to Canada," the organisation said. "We find it unacceptable that Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi continues to ignore the Canadian Foreign Ministry's appeals."

RSF added, "It is clear to us that Iran wishes to ensure that those responsible for Zahra Kazemi's death continue to remain unpunished and we call on the international community, especially the European Union, to support the Canadians' legitimate requests."

The utmost secrecy surrounds the circumstances of Kazemi's death and the investigation appears to have come to a complete standstill. Many questions have been posed by a group of lawyers representing the victim's family but they remain unanswered. Why has the identity of all of Kazemi's interrogators not been revealed? Who falsified the interrogation reports? Why do the Iranian courts continue to reject statements by several witnesses present during the interrogation sessions who say a senior prison official hit Kazemi on the head? Why do the authorities refuse to let independent experts examine her body?

Only an autopsy would enable all interested parties to confirm or dismiss a recent claim by Dr. Shahram Aazam, a physician who is now a refugee in Canada, that Kazemi was raped and tortured while in prison. Aazam claims to be the first person to have examined Kazemi when she was brought unconscious to a Tehran hospital four days after her arrest.