Iranian MP Ali Motahari has admitted “the negligence of officials caused the death of Haleh Sahabi,” the Iranian activist who died during a raid on her father’s funeral.
ILNA reports that Motahari addressed a meeting at Tehran University, saying: “We questioned the Minister of Intelligence regarding the death Haleh Sahabi, and he was supposed to provide us with the recording of the event so that we could declare our opinion.”
He added: “They maintained that they did not want to cause her death; however, it was caused by the negligence of an official, who has to make a public apology.”
The Tehran representative went on to add: “Do no fear and do not create unnecessary sanctity for the regime. If we say we made a mistake, the system will not be harmed.”
Haleh Sahabi, a women’s rights activists and the daughter of senior political activist Ezatollah Sahabi, died when plainclothes government forces raided her father’s funeral.
The officials forced the family to bury her that very night under strict security measures. However, her death and unusual burial were protested by more than 750 activists, who issued a statement saying their struggle for “freedom, peace and equality” would continue.
Iranian authorities maintained that Haleh Sahabi died from a heart attack, but those present at the funeral say she was beaten by officials.
Ezatollah Sahabi, the leader of the Iranian Nationalist-Religious activists, passed away last May. Her daughter, who had been arrested and sentenced during the post-election protests of 2009, was under temporary release to attend her father’s funeral when she died in the raid.
