The Hindu : Canada withdraws envoy to Iran

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 25, 2003

International

International - Globescan

Canada withdraws envoy to Iran

TEHERAN: A Canadian freelance photographer, who died in Iranian custody after a blow to the head, was buried in her birthplace in southern Iran on Wednesday. The move prompted Canada, which had demanded that her remains be returned, to announce that it was pulling its ambassador out of Iran. The photographer, Zahra Kazemi (54), who also held an Iranian passport, had been arrested on June 23 as she took pictures of protests outside the Evin prison in Teheran, where many dissidents are jailed. She died on July 11. The Government first said she had suffered a stroke, but later admitted she had died from a brain haemorrhage caused by a blow to her head. The Canada's Foreign Minister, Bill Graham, said the ambassador, Philip MacKinnon, would be called back and that other sanctions would be considered. The Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, called the move a ``very forceful protest.'' ``I'm very unhappy that they could take a journalist and kill a journalist,'' Mr. Chretien said. ``It's unacceptable and I protested very strongly.'' — New York Times

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