donderdag, juli 10, 2003
A Canadian woman arrested in Iran and allegedly beaten into a coma has a 50% chance of surviving, according to doctors at the hospital where Zahra Kazemi remains bruised, unconscious and strapped to a life support system. The Department of Foreign Affairs is struggling to confirm Ms. Kazemi's condition, but physicians have told Canadian consular officials in Iran that the Montreal-based photojournalist, who suffered a mysterious brain hemorrhage two weeks ago, may not survive her ordeal.
Ms. Kazemi, 54, was arrested on or about June 23 on suspicion of espionage after authorities in Iran found her snapping photos of Evin prison, a correctional facility in the capital city of Tehran. It is believed the freelance photographer was covering one of the student protests, which ended when dozens of people were taken into custody. Her family suspects authorities were upset that she was shooting pictures of the prison where the protesters were taken.
Her family said she called home the next day -- she was laughing and in good spirits, her son said -- but 24 hours later, she was lying in a hospital bed. What happened in the interim has become the focus of frantic diplomatic efforts by the Foreign Affairs department, which earlier this week urged Iranian authorities to provide an explanation for Ms. Kazemi's medical condition. As of yesterday, the department was still waiting for a response.
Stephan Hachemi, Ms. Kazemi's son, is convinced his mother was pummelled by police interrogators unhappy with the things she chose to photograph. He remains in Montreal, where he works as a bicycle courier, waiting for updates from his family in Iran.
Numerous human rights groups, including the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, have called on the Iranian authorities to explain what happened to Ms. Kazemi. She is a Canadian citizen who was born in Iran but later emigrated to Quebec, has spent the better part of the past decade travelling the world with her camera.
Bron: National Post.
Ms. Kazemi, 54, was arrested on or about June 23 on suspicion of espionage after authorities in Iran found her snapping photos of Evin prison, a correctional facility in the capital city of Tehran. It is believed the freelance photographer was covering one of the student protests, which ended when dozens of people were taken into custody. Her family suspects authorities were upset that she was shooting pictures of the prison where the protesters were taken.
Her family said she called home the next day -- she was laughing and in good spirits, her son said -- but 24 hours later, she was lying in a hospital bed. What happened in the interim has become the focus of frantic diplomatic efforts by the Foreign Affairs department, which earlier this week urged Iranian authorities to provide an explanation for Ms. Kazemi's medical condition. As of yesterday, the department was still waiting for a response.
Stephan Hachemi, Ms. Kazemi's son, is convinced his mother was pummelled by police interrogators unhappy with the things she chose to photograph. He remains in Montreal, where he works as a bicycle courier, waiting for updates from his family in Iran.
Numerous human rights groups, including the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, have called on the Iranian authorities to explain what happened to Ms. Kazemi. She is a Canadian citizen who was born in Iran but later emigrated to Quebec, has spent the better part of the past decade travelling the world with her camera.
Bron: National Post.
# posted by Jan-Edward : 13:10
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