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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