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Iran orders new probe in death of Iranian Canadian


Associated Press
November 27, 2007 at 8:48 AM EST

Zahra Kazemi is shown in this undated passport photo. Iran's Supreme Court has ordered a new investigation into the 2003 death of Ms. Kazemi, an Iranian-Canadian photojournalist. (CP)


TEHRAN — Iran's Supreme Court has ordered a new investigation into the 2003 death in custody an Iranian-Canadian photojournalist, a judiciary spokesman said Tuesday.
"Judges at the Supreme Court have objected to the (Iranian) court investigating the case, saying it was not competent to investigate the case," Ali Reza Jamshidi told reporters.
Zahra Kazemi, 54, a Montreal-based freelance journalist died July 11, 2003, while in detention for taking photographs outside a Tehran prison during student-led protests against the Iran's theocracy.
The Iranian-born Ms. Kazemi was never formally charged with any crime.
A presidential inquiry disclosed that Ms. Kazemi died from a fractured skull caused by a "physical attack."
But an investigation by the Iranian judiciary said in 2004 that she died from a fall after her blood pressure dropped during a hunger strike while in the custody of Iranian secret police.
The judges subsequently cleared secret agent Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, the sole accused in the case.
The Canadian government rejected that court's decision, especially since Iran wouldn't allow Canadian observers at the otherwise open trial.

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