The Associated PressPublished Tuesday, January 14, 2020
A rally in solidarity with Iranian protests takes place in Mel Lastman Square in Toronto on Monday January 13, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Vincent Elkaim
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- Iran's judiciary said Tuesday that arrests have been made for the accidental shootdown of a Ukrainian passenger plane that killed all 176 people on board just after takeoff from Tehran last week.
The announcement came amid an upswell of anger and protests by Iranians in recent days over the downing of the jetliner last Wednesday and apparent attempts by senior officials in Iran to coverup the cause of the crash.
Iran, which initially dismissed allegations that a missile had brought down the plane, acknowledged only on Saturday -- three days after and in the face of mounting evidence -- that its Revolutionary Guard had shot down the plane by mistake.
Related Stories
Toronto businessman spearheads 'Canada Strong' campaign for plane crash families
Maple Leaf CEO's Iran plane crash comments unprecedented, experts say
Claim plane was accidentally shot down won't be taken at 'face value': TSB
Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili was quoted by Iranian state media saying that "extensive investigations have taken place and some individuals are arrested." He did not say how many individuals had been detained or name them.
Iran's president on Tuesday also called for a special court to be set up to probe the incident.
"The judiciary should form a special court with a ranking judge and dozens of experts," President Hassan Rouhani said in a speech televised in Iran. "This is not an ordinary case. The entire the world will be watching this court."
Rouhani called the incident "a painful and unforgivable" mistake and promised that his administration would pursue the case "by all means."
"The responsibility falls on more than just one person," he said, adding that those found culpable "should be punished."
"There are others, too, and I want that this issue is expressed honestly," he said, without elaborating.
Rouhani called the government's admission that Iranian forces shot down the plane the "first good step".
The plane, en route to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, was carrying 167 passengers and nine crew members from several countries, including 82 Iranians, 57 Canadians -- including many Iranians with dual citizenship -- and 11 Ukrainians, according to officials. There were several children among the passengers, including an infant.
Iran shot down the plane when it was bracing for possible U.S. retaliation for a ballistic missile attack on two military bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq. No one was hurt in that attack, which was carried out to avenge the stunning killing of Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in an American airstrike in Baghdad.
Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Guard's aerospace division, said over the weekend his unit accepts full responsibility for the shootdown. He said when he learned about the downing of the plane, "I wished I was dead."
The incident raised questions about why Iran did not shut down its international airport or airspace the day it was bracing for U.S. military retaliation.
The shootdown and the lack of transparency around it has reignited anger in Iran at the country's leadership. Online videos appeared to show security forces firing live ammunition and tear gas to disperse protests in the streets.
Also Tuesday, Iran's judiciary said that 30 people had been detained in the protests, and that some were released, without elaborating further.
Iranian authorities briefly arrested British Ambassador Rob Macaire on Saturday evening. He's said he went to a candlelight vigil to pay his respects for the victims of the Ukrainian plane shootdown and left as soon as the chanting began and it turned into a protest.
Iran's Foreign Ministry summoned the British ambassador on Sunday to protest what it said was his presence at an illegal protest. Britain, in turn, summoned Iran's ambassador on Monday "to convey our strong objections" over the weekend arrest.
---30---
Canada investigates reports that Iran is harassing families trying to repatriate remains of crash victims
Identification, repatriation process for PS752 crash probe could take months, says Ukraine's ambassador
Kathleen Harris · CBC News · Posted: Jan 13, 2020
People gather for a candlelight vigil to remember the victims of the Ukraine plane crash at the gate of Amri Kabir University in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020.
(AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne says Canada is looking into "disturbing" allegations that Iran is harassing family members of PS752 airline crash victims who are desperately trying to bring home their loved ones' remains.
Responding to a video posted on Twitter of a woman pleading for Canada's help in bringing home the body of her son, Champagne tweeted back that the government is looking into the matter. The video was posted by an Iranian journalist/activist who said Iranian authorities are telling families of crash victims not to speak to journalists.
Champagne's office confirmed the minister is looking into allegations that families are being harassed.
Iranian leaders said Saturday that Iran's Revolutionary Guard shot down the Boeing 737-800 using surface-to-air missiles, killing all 176 passengers and crew on board. Of those passengers, 138 were destined for Canada, but it's not known how many were permanent residents or were travelling on visitor or student visas.
Champagne confirmed Friday that 57 of the victims were Canadian citizens.
Canada's victims of Flight PS752
Repatriating Canadian air crash victims will be hampered by a lack of diplomatic ties with Iran, experts say
'All Canadians are mourning': Trudeau attends Alberta vigil for victims of Flight PS752
The process to identify the remains will require DNA or dental records. Canadian officials, most likely including the RCMP, will assist in the operation on the ground.
Little is known at this point about how the repatriation process will play out. Iran does not recognize dual citizenship, something that's been an issue in past consular cases; a government official said it's too early to say what impact that factor could have in this case.
Repatriation a 'complicated procedure'
Ukraine's ambassador to Canada Andriy Shevchenko said the identification and repatriation process will be "quite a complicated procedure" — because of the technical nature of DNA collection and comparison and the legal complications arising from the fact that many of the victims held dual citizenship.
'Whole Canadian heart' there for Iranian community at public memorial
Maple Leaf Foods CEO takes aim at U.S. government over downing of PS752 by Iran
He said families could have to wait some time before their loved ones' remains are returned to Canada.
"It's a very difficult thing to speculate because it might be days and weeks, but it also might be months," he told CBC's Robyn Bresnahan, host of Ottawa Morning, in an interview Monday.
"It is a legal issue because we need to make sure Iran gives all the necessary permits to do this, and obviously it is up to the families to decide what should be done to the remains."
Champagne said today the Standing Rapid Deployment Team (SRDT) — a group of staffers from Global Affairs Canada trained and ready to deploy in response to overseas emergencies — and a team from the Transportation Safety Board will be in place in Tehran by tonight. Two members of the SRDT will provide support from Ankara in Turkey, while other experts may be dispatched as needed, the minister said on Twitter.
Canada's victims of Flight PS752
Champagne also has scheduled an in-person meeting of the International Coordination and Response Group at Canada House in London, U.K. for Thursday. The Canada-led group, which includes participants from Ukraine, Sweden, Afghanistan and the U.K., was struck to ensure transparency and accountability in the wake of the crash.
Lawyers have told CBC that family members of those killed on Flight PS752 likely are entitled to monetary compensation through civil action, the International Court of Justice or international diplomacy.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday that he expects Iran to take full responsibility for the downing of the jetliner and indicated that he would press Iran to provide compensation on behalf of those killed.
Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne says Canada is looking into "disturbing" allegations that Iran is harassing family members of PS752 airline crash victims who are desperately trying to bring home their loved ones' remains.
Responding to a video posted on Twitter of a woman pleading for Canada's help in bringing home the body of her son, Champagne tweeted back that the government is looking into the matter. The video was posted by an Iranian journalist/activist who said Iranian authorities are telling families of crash victims not to speak to journalists.
Champagne's office confirmed the minister is looking into allegations that families are being harassed.
Iranian leaders said Saturday that Iran's Revolutionary Guard shot down the Boeing 737-800 using surface-to-air missiles, killing all 176 passengers and crew on board. Of those passengers, 138 were destined for Canada, but it's not known how many were permanent residents or were travelling on visitor or student visas.
Champagne confirmed Friday that 57 of the victims were Canadian citizens.
Canada's victims of Flight PS752
Repatriating Canadian air crash victims will be hampered by a lack of diplomatic ties with Iran, experts say
'All Canadians are mourning': Trudeau attends Alberta vigil for victims of Flight PS752
The process to identify the remains will require DNA or dental records. Canadian officials, most likely including the RCMP, will assist in the operation on the ground.
Little is known at this point about how the repatriation process will play out. Iran does not recognize dual citizenship, something that's been an issue in past consular cases; a government official said it's too early to say what impact that factor could have in this case.
Repatriation a 'complicated procedure'
Ukraine's ambassador to Canada Andriy Shevchenko said the identification and repatriation process will be "quite a complicated procedure" — because of the technical nature of DNA collection and comparison and the legal complications arising from the fact that many of the victims held dual citizenship.
'Whole Canadian heart' there for Iranian community at public memorial
Maple Leaf Foods CEO takes aim at U.S. government over downing of PS752 by Iran
He said families could have to wait some time before their loved ones' remains are returned to Canada.
"It's a very difficult thing to speculate because it might be days and weeks, but it also might be months," he told CBC's Robyn Bresnahan, host of Ottawa Morning, in an interview Monday.
"It is a legal issue because we need to make sure Iran gives all the necessary permits to do this, and obviously it is up to the families to decide what should be done to the remains."
Champagne said today the Standing Rapid Deployment Team (SRDT) — a group of staffers from Global Affairs Canada trained and ready to deploy in response to overseas emergencies — and a team from the Transportation Safety Board will be in place in Tehran by tonight. Two members of the SRDT will provide support from Ankara in Turkey, while other experts may be dispatched as needed, the minister said on Twitter.
Canada's victims of Flight PS752
Champagne also has scheduled an in-person meeting of the International Coordination and Response Group at Canada House in London, U.K. for Thursday. The Canada-led group, which includes participants from Ukraine, Sweden, Afghanistan and the U.K., was struck to ensure transparency and accountability in the wake of the crash.
Lawyers have told CBC that family members of those killed on Flight PS752 likely are entitled to monetary compensation through civil action, the International Court of Justice or international diplomacy.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday that he expects Iran to take full responsibility for the downing of the jetliner and indicated that he would press Iran to provide compensation on behalf of those killed.
RELATED STORIES
Canada's victims of Flight PS752
Repatriating Canadian air crash victims will be hampered by a lack of diplomatic ties with Iran, experts say
'All Canadians are mourning': Trudeau attends Alberta vigil for victims of Flight PS752
'Whole Canadian heart' there for Iranian community at public memorial
Maple Leaf Foods CEO takes aim at U.S. government over downing of PS752 by Iran
Families of PS752 victims could go after Ukraine airline or Iran in bid for compensation
Rouhani says Iran must 'punish' all responsible for air disaster
AFP•January 14, 2020
Iran denied Western claims that the airliner had been downed by a missile for days before acknowledging that version was correct and now faces huge international pressure to ensure the rest of its investigation is transparent (AFP Photo/-)More
Tehran (AFP) - Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that everyone responsible for the accidental shooting down of a Ukrainian airliner last week must be punished.
"For our people it is very important in this incident that anyone who was at fault or negligent at any level" face justice, he said in a televised speech.
"Anyone who should be punished must be punished," said Rouhani.
"The judiciary must form a special court with high-ranking judge and dozens of experts... The whole world will be watching."
The Ukraine International Airlines plane was brought down by a missile shortly after takeoff from Tehran last Wednesday, killing all 176 passengers and crew on board.
Iran for days denied Western claims based on US intelligence that the airliner had been downed by a missile before acknowledging that version was correct on Saturday.
It has come under mounting international pressure to ensure its investigation into the tragedy is full and transparent.
The authorities' handling of the air disaster and has also angered people in Iran.
Videos posted on social networks on Monday purported to show people taking to the streets for a third consecutive day, with demonstrators apparently shouting slogans against the Islamic republic.
---30---
No comments:
Post a Comment