Harper’s broken promise of justice for my mother

Last October 10, the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed the lawsuit that I filed in my name and on behalf of my mother’s estate against her tormentors and the Iranian government. Although they described the facts as “horrific,” the judges refused to act, deferring instead to Parliament. According to them, it was up to elected officials to add an exception to the State Immunity Act, as they did for terrorism, and enable those who find themselves in a situation similar to mine to seek justice before Canadian courts.

Despite the promise that Prime Minister Stephen Harper personally made to me while he was the leader of the opposition, after nine years in power, his government still refuses or neglects to amend the State Immunity Act to put an end to Iran’s impunity and that of other states with odious track records on human rights.

Let’s recall that the serious circumstances surrounding my mother’s arbitrary arrest and murder continue to attract international attention and expressions of support and solidarity for justice. Yet, the prime minister and his government refuse to act, declaring at each new development to be “reviewing our options.”

Far from the principled foreign policy that Harper had promised, he continues to cozy up with rogue states and totalitarian regimes. Examples abound. In my mother’s case, the government is doing this after a Canadian has been tortured to death, her body hastily and illegally buried in Iran against my will, and while her tormentors still roam free. To add insult to injury, the government spent eight years in court trying to stop my quest to seek justice for Ziba, thus ensuring immunity for her torturers and that their crimes remain unpunished.

It’s been 12 years since my mother’s death and this quest for justice continues. An election campaign is upon us: you can count on me to remind Canadians that, for this government, preserving Ottawa’s relations with states that abuse the most fundamental human rights takes precedence over the interests of Canadian citizens; that Harper’s promises do not count; that today’s killer, torturer, rapist or genocide-monger, when acting on behalf of a foreign state, is doing so with impunity in the eyes of Canadian justice.

Ziba wanted to appeal to the human conscience. She has become a symbol of integrity, compassion and continuity. Never will the barbarism that killed her erase her humanity, nor will Harper’s refusal to allow that justice be done. Never will her memory go away.

Mr. Harper, in this election year, I urge you to commit to allowing Ziba and all the victims of murderous regimes to obtain justice. Commit to me now and in a concrete way to end the impunity enjoyed by their tormentors. This is the right of the victims and their families. This is Ziba’s right.

Stefan Kazemi lives in Montreal. He is working on a film about his mother’s life and death and his subsequent quest for justice.