The point which has gathered us here is to honor Zahra Kazemi, Iranian photo-journalist who lived in Canada. She was killed last year around this date under torture. Her presence in Iran coincidented the student and people uprising against the regime which got authority for some weeks. After some days of oppression and imprisonment of thousand of people again any where went under regime control. Zahra Kazemi got arrested while taking photographs outside Evin, a well known and horrible prison in Tehran during these protests. That is why she was taken into custody. She was killed after being interrogated by police, prosecutors and intelligence officials for 77 hours.

During this one year there have been no serous trial opened and the murderers are still on the same posts such as interrogator and prosecutor.

After some month of the death of Ms. Kazemi, Iranian – Canadian photo-journalist, Jane Kokan traveled as an archeologist to Iran to find the reasons out.

Although she had very limited sources and she could perceive her information by contacting only a special group which do not hold the whole realities of political condition in Iran, but this report film can be a good source to understand some truths in Iran.

In this report, as the special rapeurteur of UNO in freedom of expression has reminded some months ago, the systematic and organized suppression are obviously mentioned.

Islamic Republic has had such a background during these twenty five years:

- Around one hundred and twenty thousand political opponents executed

- Around two hundred and fifty thousands political prisoners.

- More than thousand terrorist acts against its opponents inside and around two hundreds and seventy thousand in abroad.

- More than three thousand publications banned.

- An every day arrest of around fife hundred girls and boys be cause of breaking Islamic laws.

- Escape of specialists and immigration of around two million people. Every day tens of Iranians seek asylum in other countries.

- Seventy percent of people live under poverty line because the country’s fortune is in hand of only ten percent related to the state.

- The highest rate of execution in horrible ways such as stone death, in the world compared with the population;

- Daily violence against human rights and suppression of private social and political freedom.

With such background Islamic Republic can not survive without being supported by European countries.

The hope for a soon freedom of our country where its seven thousands history has made it one of the oldest civilization of the world, was maybe the last wish of Ms. Kazemi.

I as a journalist in exile am sure that one day this forbidden Iran will become a free Iran. All of us will see the dignity of that day vary soon.



Thank you!