Neda’s killer must be brought to justice

          
          fran: Neda's killer must be brought to justice Amnesty hleruatioiial http://www.ami sty.orgfen/for-mediaIpress-re1eases/iran-r da's-killer-rn...
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          > Home > Iran: Neda's killer must be brought to justice
          IRAN: NEDA'S KILLER MUST BE
          BROUGHT TO JUSTICE
          20 June 2010
          Al Index: PREO1/205/2010
          One year after the killing of Neda Agha Soltan, the failure of
          Iranian authorities to bring her killer to justice is a damning
          example of the culture of impunity that has widened since the
          2009 election protests, says Amnesty International.
          Neda Agha Soltan, then 27, was shot in central Tehran on 20
          June 2009 as she left a peaceful demonstration. A video clip
          of her dying on the pavement as bystanders came to her aid,
          was circulated around the world, making her an icon of the
          protest movement.
          “Neda's unlawful killing is emblematic of not only the
          numerous human rights violations committed against Iranians
          over the past year - which are still continuing today - but also
          of the government's steadfast refusal to bring to justice those
          responsible for torturing and killing its critics” said Hassiba
          Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for
          the Middle East and North Africa.
          Despite the wealth of video-taped evidence and witnesses,
          the Iranian authorities have not carried out any independent
          investigation into Neda's death, nor the apparent deaths of
          scores of others at the hands of government forces between
          June and December 2009. They have denied allegations that
          the paramilitary Basij caused Neda's death and blamed,
          instead, a range of people and organizations including the
          BBC, CNN, the CIA, and even the doctor who rushed to
          Neda's aid when she was shot.
          “The government's response to Neda's killing has been a
          cynical face-saving exercise,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui. “It
          is all too typical of the wider failure of the Iranian authorities to
          observe the rule of law, and to ensure accountability for the
          crimes that continue to be committed in its name.”
          Amnesty International has renewed its call on the Iranian
          government to allow an independent inquiry into the deaths
          and abuses that took place during and after the
          demonstrations, including an investigation into Neda's killing.
          It is also calling for UN human rights experts to be allowed
          into Iran. Despite a standing invitation issued by the
          government to the UN, no UN human rights visits have been
          allowed to Iran since 2005. At least five requests to visit made
          by UN human rights experts have remained unanswered.
          “The authorities should know that their attempts to brush
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          Iran: NSa 's idiler niistbe brought to justice An'niesty International Ittp://www .anucsty .org /en'for-niedia/press-re leases/iran-rcda's- ld l ler-nt .
          away the evidence pointing to their responsibility will not
          silence Iranians, who continue to demand truth and justice for
          the deaths of Neda and many others” said Hassiba Hadj
          Sahraoui.
          Background
          Neda Agha Soltan's alleged shooter was briefly held at the
          scene of the shooting by protesters, but information on his
          identity has been ignored by judicial authorities. The man
          was allegedly carrying ID of the Basij, the armed paramilitary
          force heavily employed by the authorities to repress the
          demonstrations. Witnesses have reported that he shouted
          out ‘I did not mean to kill her'.
          The deaths of up to 80 people - and possibly many more -
          during and after the demonstrations, including as a result of
          torture in detention, have mostly not been investigated.
          Independent inquiries into excessive use of force, rape, and
          other forms of torture while in custody have not been carried
          out. Instead, the authorities have threatened those who have
          alleged violations, arrested some who have tried to uncover
          the truth and sought to discredit others who have tried to
          bring evidence forth.
          Investigations into post-election abuses, where conducted,
          have been inadequate, not transparent and appear to make
          low-ranking officials scapegoats for the abuses that took
          place.
          The campaign to demand accountability for the post-election
          abuses has been led by the Mourning Mothers group, which
          is made up of mothers whose children have been killed,
          disappeared or detained during violence following the
          election.
          Amnesty International's June 2010 report Iran: From protest
          to prison: Iran one year after the election (Al Index
          Number: MDE 13/062/2010; 9 June 2010) documents a
          widening crackdown on dissent that has left journalists,
          students, political and rights activists as well as clerics
          languishing in prisons.
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