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Tuesday, July 27, 2004 |

UN experts call on Iran to observe human rights norms in Kazemi trial
Jeannie Shawl at 1:37 PM ET

UN human rights experts have said they had "profound" concerns about the Iranian trial of the man accused in the death of Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi. As previously reported on JURIST's Paper Chase, an Iranian court acquitted the man accused of killing Kazemi while she was being detained for taking photos of an Iranian prison. According to a statement released by the UN Tuesday: Many reports indicate that the proceedings did not meet international standards of a fair trial because key evidence that might have incriminated judiciary officials, the prosecutor's office as well as the intelligence ministry was ignored by the court. The independent experts are also concerned that journalists and other foreign observers were barred from full access to the courtroom after the start of the trial.
The independent experts fear that by failing to ensure an open trial and the independent functioning of the judiciary -- which should take into account all findings that could shed light on this case -- the authorities are favouring a climate of impunity for law enforcement officials and setting the ground for the recurrence of similar human rights violations in the future.
The experts underline the need for prompt and impartial investigations whenever acts and practices of torture are alleged. They appeal to the authorities to comply strictly with international human rights norms, and in particular with article 2, paragraph 3, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ratified by the Islamic Republic of Iran, which provides that, "Each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes: (a) To ensure that any person whose rights or freedoms as herein recognized are violated shall have an effective remedy, notwithstanding that the violation has been committed by persons acting in an official capacity; (b) To ensure that any person claiming such a remedy shall have his right thereto determined by competent judicial, administrative or legislative authorities, or by any other competent authority provided for by the legal system of the State, and to develop the possibilities of judicial remedy; and (c) To ensure that the competent authorities shall enforce such remedies when granted". The UN News Service has the full story. CBC News has more.


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Paper Chase is JURIST's real-time legal news service, powered by a team of 30 law student reporters and editors led by law professor Bernard Hibbitts at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. As an educational service, Paper Chase is dedicated to presenting important legal news and materials rapidly, objectively and intelligibly in an accessible, ad-free format.
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