Journalist Died After Beating, Iran Says

A Canadian journalist was fatally beaten during or after her arrest last month outside a Tehran prison, Iran said Wednesday, reversing its previous claim that she died of a stroke while in custody.

Iran also promised to prosecute those responsible for the death Friday of Montreal-based Zahra Kazemi, 54. But it rebuffed calls for Kazemi’s body to be returned to Canada.

“According to a report by the health minister, she has died of a brain hemorrhage resulting from beatings,” Vice President Mohammed Ali Abtahi said. “The death of Zahra Kazemi ... creates a very black picture [of Iran] in the world.”

Later, however, Canada said it had been told by Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi that although Kazemi had died of a skull fracture behind her left eye, the exact circumstances of her death remained unclear.

Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham told reporters that in a phone call with Kharrazi, he stressed that Canada wanted prosecutions for those suspected in her death.

Kharrazi “pointed out she might have fallen or had an accident,” Graham said. “I said, ‘If that’s the case, clearly you will have to demonstrate that because she was in your custody.’ He agreed.”

Abtahi said it was not clear whether Kazemi’s injuries were incurred during her arrest outside Evin prison, where many dissidents are jailed, or during interrogation.

“As soon as the results of the investigation ... are presented to the Cabinet, we will definitely introduce to the court those who have committed a probable violation ... if a violation is proven,” government spokesman Abdollah Ramazanzadeh said.

Kazemi held both Iranian and Canadian citizenship. Her death has marred what had been relatively smooth relations between Iran and Canada, whose government has demanded the return of her body.

“Because she has Iranian citizenship, no foreign government has the right to make special comments on this issue,” Ramazanzadeh said.

Wednesday’s admission underscored the struggle between reformers and the hard-liners who control Iran’s judiciary and security forces.

Hard-liners had insisted that Kazemi, a photographer, died of a stroke and tried to push ahead with her funeral. But a committee named by reformist President Mohammad Khatami to investigate the death stepped in Tuesday to prevent the burial, and Wednesday’s admission about the beating came from Abtahi, a Khatami ally.

Kazemi’s death is “tarnishing our international image,” Abtahi said.