Amateur Hour makes a whistle stop at DFAIT

BitWhys

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Apr 5, 2006
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At least I HOPE its just a whistle stop.
Updated Fri. Jun. 23 2006 11:23 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff

Ottawa pushes for arrest of Iran chief prosecutor
Ottawa turned up the heat in its diplomatic battle with Iran on Friday when the federal government called for the arrest of an Iranian prosecutor linked to the death of Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi.

Ottawa wants charges brought against Gen. Saeed Mortazavi, the hardline prosecutor who was found by two Iranian government investigations to have ordered the 2003 arrest of the Iran-born, Montreal-based photojournalist.

A report from Iran's parliament blamed Mortazavi for Kazemi's illegal detention and the subsequent attempt to cover up his involvement in her death.

Iranian authorities say Kazemi died of a stroke. But a commission appointed by Iran's president found she died of a fractured skull and brain hemorrhage that resulted from a blow to the head with a hard object, fracturing her skull.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper confirmed Friday that the government asked German authorities this week to arrest Mortazavi if he made a stop there on his way home from a human-rights conference in Geneva.

Though he flew directly to Tehran from Geneva, Harper said Canada would not let up.

"We're appealing to the international community to use all manner of law available to detain this individual, and have him face justice,'' Harper said outside a cabinet meeting.

"I don't know whether we'll see a willingness or an ability to do that, but we want to make it absolutely clear that the government of Canada has not dropped this matter.''

Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay said Canada was seeking his arrest in Germany because he could have claimed diplomatic immunity in Switzerland while attending the UN conference.

"Mark my words, this individual is on notice,'' said MacKay. "If there is any way that Canada can bring this person to justice, we'll do it.''

He upped the ante in the diplomatic dispute by challenging Iranian officials who may accuse Canada of making libellous charges.

"Take me to court. Come to Canada and make your case," MacKay said.

Canada has strained diplomatic ties with Iran but the embassy in Tehran remains open.

However, Iran is forbidden from opening consulates in Canada.

Though there is an embassy in Ottawa, staff there require formal Canadian approval to meet any government officials.

Mortazavi, who has also been involved in the clampdown on the reformist press and the arrests of many Iranian journalists, has been rumoured to be a contender for the post of Iran's justice minister.

Earlier this week, Canada condemned his presence as an Iranian representative at the United Nation's new Human Rights Council.

"The presence of Mr. Mortazavi in Iran's delegation demonstrates the Government of Iran's complete contempt for internationally recognized principles of human rights," MacKay said in a written statement.

"The Government of Canada expresses its disgust at the fact that Iran would choose to include such a person in its delegation to a new UN body intended to promote the highest standards of respect for human rights.

No doubt there are times the professional diplomats in DFAIT wish our elected officials would just dry up and blow away. This is probably one of them.

MacKay just elevated himself to yappy little dog status. For Iran this publicity stunt doesn't even amount to an annoyance.

(edited to bypass a parsing glitch)
 

BitWhys

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Iran dismisses Canada calls for prosecutor's prosecution
TEHRAN (AFP) -
Iran rejected Canadian calls for the prosecution of Tehran chief prosecutor Said Mortazavi over the death in custody of a photo-journalist with Canadian citizenship.

"The Canadian claims are illogical and they should understand who they are talking to and they should speak up to their level," Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told the official IRNA news agency from Geneva where he was attending a UN human rights meeting.

"Canadians have a long history of serious political mistakes in dealing with the Islamic Republic of Iran, such as aiding
Saddam Hussein's regime against Iran," he said, referring to the devastating 1980-88 war with
Iraq.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that a country which still has traces of British colonialism is not at a level at which it can make such illogical and illegal comments and expect to be listened to."

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper had called on the international community Friday to use "all manner of law available" to bring Mortazavi to justice over the death three years ago of journalist Zahra Kazemi.

"A Canadian citizen was beaten and tortured to death. This has not been properly addressed by the government of Iran," Harper said of Kazemi's death.

"What the government of Canada wants to do is to make it clear that the conduct of the government of Iran and the Kazemi affair is absolutely unacceptable."

Kazemi, 54, died in July 2003 after spending two weeks in custody in Tehran following her arrest for photographing a demonstration outside the Iranian capital's Evin prison.

Mortazavi joined Mottaki in attending Friday's meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, prompting US as well as Canadian protests.

that went well.