AFP: The son of slain Canadian-Iranian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking 17 million Canadian dollars (16.2 million US) from Tehran over the 2003 prison death. MONTREAL (AFP) — The son of slain Canadian-Iranian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking 17 million Canadian dollars (16.2 million US) from Tehran over the 2003 prison death.
Lawyers for Stephan Kazemi filed the suit in a Montreal courtroom, their office told AFP.
Iran has not convicted anyone for Zahra Kazemi's death, and now reportedly contends it cannot be sued because of state immunity to prosecution abroad.
Kazemi, 54, was detained in June 2003 for photographing a demonstration outside Tehran's notorious Evin prison. She was beaten in custody, and died on July 10, 2003.
Canada protested the Iranian judiciary's November 2005 acquittal of an intelligence agent, Mohammad Reza Aghdam Ahmadi, who was initially accused of murdering the news photographer.
Subsequent trials failed to find anyone accountable for her death.
Iran, which does not recognize dual nationality, insists Kazemi's death is an internal affair and has asked Canada and the international community not to intervene.
Two other Canadians have reportedly tried and failed to sue foreign governments for torture.
But legislation introduced last month would allow torture victims to sue the perpetrators, including foreign states and officials.
