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June 25, 2006

UN Human Rights member involved in torture, rape of journalists, bloggers

Here's an example of your United Nations Human Rights Council: (via Shlemazl)

Saeed Mortazavi, Iranian General Prosecutor and the Prime Suspect in the Zahra Kazemi Case, is participating in the Iranian delegation to the new UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

It is believed that Zahra Kazemi, an Iranian-Canadian journalist was raped and tortured to death by Iranian police. Here is an eye-witness account:

Her entire body carried strange marks of violence. She had a big bruise on the right side of her forehead stretching down to the ear. The ear drum was intact, but the membrane in one of her ears had recently burst, and a loose blood vessel could be seen. Behind the head, on the left-hand side, was a big, loose swelling. Three deep scratches behind her neck looked like the result of nails digging into the flesh. The right shoulder was bruised, and on the left hand two fingers were broken. Three fingers had broken nails or no nails.

Dr. Azam's account of his examination goes on to describe severe abdominal bruising, "stretching over the thigh down to the knees." Though male doctors in Iran are not allowed to carry out vaginal exams, Dr. Azam's emergency-room nurse thoroughly examined Ms. Kazemi and found the bruising to be the result of "a very brutal rape."

Mortazavi ordered the illegal arrest and detention of Zahra Kazemi, which led to her torture and death. Mortazavi then falsified documents to cover up his involvement in her case. He (the prime suspect!) then served as a presiding judge on the Iranian review of this murder.

Mortazavi is also understood to have closed about 80 (!) pro-reform newspapers. According to the world association of writers (International PEN), he was implicated in the arrests and brutal torture of several other Iranian journalists and bloggers.

Among the nations elected to the new UN Human Rights Council are the usual intrepid fighters for civil rights: Cuba and Saudi Arabia. The latter has been very vocal in its fight for women's rights in other countries.

This could be funny... had it not been so deadly serious.

Cross posted at Right Truth