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Iran
"Semi-Premeditated Stroke": Iran Goes Medieval
2003-09-23
An agent for Iran’s Intelligence Ministry was charged with murder Monday in the death of an Iranian-Canadian photojournalist from injuries she received while in custody. This appears to be a compromise clearing Iran’s government of any wrongdoing and blaming an individual agent with acting alone. However, Canada’s foreign minister has said government agents would not act without orders from above.
Which "above", is the problem here. And the compromise appears to be between Iran, and Iran.
The Tehran prosecutor’s office said a judge investigating the case charged the intelligence agent with "semi premeditated murder." There was no immediate explanation of the charge.
This is well over the line and must be dealt with harshly. Semi-premeditation, as in "near-pregnancy"? Can he plea bargain to quarter-premeditation?
Maybe he can plead semi-insanity?
Zahra Kazemi, 54, a Canadian of Iranian origin, was detained in June for taking photos outside a Tehran prison during student-led protests. After 77 hours of interrogation, she was rushed to a hospital’s intensive care unit, where she died 14 days later. Her death has intensified Iran’s fierce power struggle between President Mohammad Khatami’s reformist allies, who loosely control the Intelligence Ministry, and hard-liners who run the security agencies, judiciary and police. Each side has blamed the other for the killing.
"Wudn't me. It wuz you!"
"Nope. Wudn't me. It wuz you!"
And there probably is some real, serious scheisse going on here.
The unidentified agent was one of two ministry officials charged earlier over Kazemi’s death. But earlier this month the prosecutor’s office rejected the charges and called for further investigations. In its statement Monday, the prosecutor’s office said the second agent was acquitted.
...in a shocking courtroom drama...
"The crime is attributed to one of the (Intelligence Ministry) interrogators," it said.
...clearly the work of a lone bludgeoner...
"He was a loner. Kept to himself. Not a lot of friends, and they all had turbans..."
The statement also said the judge, Judge Esmaeili, concluded that no government body was behind the crime.
...relief to have the facts out in the open...
In Montreal, Kazemi’s son, Stephan Hachemi, said the charge was insufficient. "It’s the same thing we saw a few weeks ago. As long as the prosecutor keeps his post there is no way for a judge to conduct a proper investigation in the case." Initially, the hard-line Tehran prosecutor, Saeed Mortazavi, was quoted as saying Kazemi died of a stroke. But a presidential-appointed committee discredited this version and concluded she died of head injuries sustained while in custody.
Right, death is a symptom of both conditions, anyone can make a mistake.
Intelligence Ministry officials have denied their agents were responsible, claiming a judicial agent beat Kazemi on her head.
A "judicial agent". Why don’t WE have those? Sharia NOW!
Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham has accused Mortazavi of being implicated in the killing, saying agents would not act without orders from above.
Tough call. Gubmint bludgeoners walk a fine line, it’s a thankless job.
Canada has wrung its hands complained to Iran over the earlier handling of Kazemi’s case. It also threatened sanctions and withdrew its ambassador after the photojournalist’s body was buried in Iran against the wishes of Canadian authorities and her son. Hachemi said the Canadian government should intensify its protests.
Like write them on some 2000 lb. notepaper?
"One cannot rely on Iranian justice to designate the guilty," he said.
One guy gets it.
Posted by:Mark IV

#2  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Karma   2003-9-23 5:41:41 AM  

#1  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: .com   2003-9-23 4:57:07 AM  

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