Zamaneh Media
  • Latest Articles
  • Latest News
  • About Zamaneh Media
    • Exiled Media Report
    • Sponsors
    • Donate
    • Contact us
    • Legal
  • Advertise
No Result
View All Result
  • Latest Articles
  • Latest News
  • About Zamaneh Media
    • Exiled Media Report
    • Sponsors
    • Donate
    • Contact us
    • Legal
  • Advertise
No Result
View All Result
Zamaneh Media
No Result
View All Result

Saeed Mortazavi and Zahra Kazemi’s Unresolved File

by Zamaneh Media
November 24, 2016
in Featured Items
Reading Time: 4min read
0
Saeed Mortazavi and Zahra Kazemi’s Unresolved File

Stephan Hachemi, Zahra Kazemi's son hold his mother identification card

by: Fareshteh Ghazi

There are currently five open cases against Tehran’s Former Prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi; however, after 14 years he has still not been charged for the death of Zahra Kazemi, the Iranian-Canadian photojournalist who died while in custody as a result of his treatment by the prison authorities.

Stephan Hachemi, Zahra Kazemi's son hold his mother identification card
Stephan Hachemi, Zahra Kazemi’s son hold his mother identification card

The charges against Mortazavi range from complicity in the death of detainees under torture in Kahrizak Prison during his tenure as Tehran Prosecutor, to corruption charges relating to the time he took over the Social Security Fund office. However, Shirin Ebadi, counsel for the family of Zahra Kazemi explains that the judiciary has refused to proceed against Mortazavi as a party in Zahra Kazemi’s death.

Zahra Kazemi was arrested in 22 June 2003 while she was taking photos of a group of families of prisoners congregating in front of Evin Prison. On 10 July 2002 she was pronounced dead in Tehran’s Azam Hospital. Ten days later, Mohsen Armin, deputy head of the sixth parliament and a member of its National Security and Foreign Policy Commission pointed the finger at Saeed Mortazavi and said: “Judge Mortazavi does not have the discretion to take such actions.”

Armin warned parliament that its silence against such “arbitrary and irresponsible actions” will encourage and promote them” and “destroy all credibility of the system and the Revolution”.

Armin’s warnings fell on deaf ears until Mortazavi resorted to his old ways in the course of the election protests to the controversial victory of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009.

Issuance of Arrest Warrants for Zahra Kazemi and Kahrizak Detainees

Zahra Kazemi was arrested and beaten in front of Evin Prison while shooting photos. The report read in parliament indicates that Mortazavi goes on to issue her formal arrest warrant. “Two days later for unknown reasons, he [Mortazavi] hands her over to security forces. There she reports that while being interrogated at the prosecutor’s office she was beaten severely, especially in the head.

Saeed Mortazavi the former Tehran Prosecutor
Saeed Mortazavi the former Tehran Prosecutor

The same afternoon Kazemi is returned to the prosecutor’s office and after some hours Judge Mortazavi calls on the Ministry of Intelligence to come and collect her. Ministry officials respond that there is no need for her arrest and that she can return to her home and ministry officials will question her at her home later. But Judge Mortazavi insists on a handover.”

Six years after Zahara Kazemi’s murder, a group of election protesters are detained in Tehran after the 2009 election. Prosecutor Mortazavi issues the order for their transfer to Kahrizak Prison. Esmail Ahmadi Moghaddam Head of Security Forces at that time reports that Mortazavi insisted on the transfer despite reminders that Kahrizak was already over capacity.

Ministry of Intelligence reportedly calls for the evacuation of Kahrizak and transfer of its detainees but Mortazavi disregards this order. Another order for the transfer of detainees is issued on the following day from the head of the National Security Council which is once again dismissed. Heeding either of those orders would have prevented the death of the prisoners, one defense lawyer stated in court.

From Zahra Kazemi’s Stroke to Meningitis Afflicting Kahrizak Detainees

On 26 June 26 2003, during interrogation Kazemi says she does not feel well and is transferred to the hospital. Around 6 am the following day her situation becomes critical. She goes into comma due to a brain hemorrhage and becomes brain dead.

The brain hemorrhage is due to a skull fracture. The parliamentary probe reports that Saeed Mortazavi once more steps beyond his jurisdiction, without consultation with the Minister of Culture and Guidance, summons the director general of the ministry’s foreign media department and tells him to sign a media release that after her arrest, Kazemi was sent to hospital because she expressed that she was not feeling well and died at hospital from a stroke.

Mortazavi then reportedly goes on to contact the state’s official news agency IRNA, to relay the media release.
Six years later on 14 July 2009 detainees of the election protests are moved from Kahrizak. From those, Amir Javadifar dies on route while Mohammad Kamrani and Mohsen Ruholamini die later in hospital.

Reports indicate that Saeed Mortazavi told a special parliamentary committee probing into the death that the cause of death was meningitis adding that immediate vaccination of all detainees was underway.

Further probe into the matter revealed that after the attending doctor and his superior refuse to sign off on meningitis as cause of death, Mortazavi dictated a letter to prison officers himself stating the cause of death as meningitis adding that the detainees had died in hospital and had no bruises indicating any form of abuse.

For the death of the Kahrizak detainees, Mortazavi was charged with “complicity in murder, participation in illegal arrests, assistance in filing false official reports”. For the latter two charges he was sentenced to a ban from any post in the judiciary and a five year ban from any public office. He was also sentenced to a fine of 200 thousand toumans. He was acquitted of the murder charge.

In the Zahra Kazemi case, Mortazavi faced no charges. Shirin Ebadi reports that one of the intelligence ministry officers was charged in the matter and he was in finality, acquitted of all charges.

Kazemi who had no siblings, had an elderly mother in Iran. Shirin Ebadi and other Human Rights Defenders Centre lawyers provide Kazemi’s mother with legal representation and manage to make the trial open to public.

At first the proceedings were attended by the Canadian ambassador and other international diplomats. Later the judge bars foreigners from entering court which Ebadi says was in violation of the law. Canadian Ambassador hence leaves the country and diplomatic relation between the two countries sour after that.

The Zahra Kazemi file was never closed however. Public perceptions regard Saeed Mortazavi as the true culprit but Shirin Ebadi says the case was never resolved and the court still owes the public a decision on this matter.

Tags: Fareshteh Ghazihuman rights in IranIRanKahrizak PrisonSaeed MortazaviZahra Kazemi
Previous Post

Shirin Ebadi: Western governments maintain a dialogue with the real civil society in Iran

Next Post

Model Arrested, Bare Protester Condemned, Prosecutor Says

Related Posts

Poverty and State Suppression; the Story of Iranian Workers in the 15th Labor Newsletter
Featured Items

Poverty and State Suppression; the Story of Iranian Workers in the 15th Labor Newsletter

January 21, 2021
Insulin Shortage Under Sanctions: Domestic and foreign profiteering, incompetence, and corruption
Featured Items

Insulin Shortage Under Sanctions: Domestic and foreign profiteering, incompetence, and corruption

November 26, 2020
Arms embargoes are pushing Iran into the arms of Putin and Xi Jinping
Featured Items

Arms embargoes are pushing Iran into the arms of Putin and Xi Jinping

October 24, 2020
“They are treated like trash!” – Abuses in Iran’s Rehabilitation Centers
Featured Items

“They are treated like trash!” – Abuses in Iran’s Rehabilitation Centers

October 2, 2020
A wall in the so-called "Kidney Street", officially Farhang Hosseini street, in Tehran. On the wall, there is a mobile phone number with this explanation: "Center for buying and selling organs", 2020
Featured Items

Instagram used as a market place for illegal organ trafficking

September 29, 2020
Novo Nordisk in Iran: An Investigation
Featured Items

Novo Nordisk in Iran: An Investigation

September 23, 2020

RSS Iran in other media

  • Saudi, UAE Stocks Rise on Earnings, Iran Optimism: Inside EM - Bloomberg
  • Magnitude 5.9 earthquake strikes southwestern Iran - ABC News
  • Magnitude 5.9 quake hits southern Iran - The Canberra Times
  • Saudi senior source denies FT report of holding secret talks with Iran - Arab News
  • Iran shows off dozens of drones in military parade - The Jerusalem Post
  • Saudi and Iranian officials hold talks to patch up relations - Financial Times
  • Israeli general who helped destroy Iraq, Syria nuclear plants says stopping Iran's program is much harder - CNBC
  • SpiceJet Boeing 737-800 Diverts To Iran With Cracked Windshield - Simple Flying
  • Iran rejects claim Ukraine’s plane shot down intentionally - Al Jazeera English
  • Biden says Iranian enrichment to 60% unhelpful, but glad about talks - The Jerusalem Post
Zamaneh Media

© 2020 Zamaneh Media

More information

  • Sponsors
  • Donate
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Legal

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Latest Articles
  • Latest News
  • About Zamaneh Media
    • Exiled Media Report
    • Sponsors
    • Donate
    • Contact us
    • Legal
  • Advertise

© 2020 Zamaneh Media