Younesi: Mortazavi Insisted Zahra Kazemi Was a Spy Contrary to the Intelligence Ministry's Opinion

The former Iranian Minister of Intelligence emphasized that only the Ministry of Intelligence has the authority to determine espionage, stating that Saeed Mortazavi, the then Tehran prosecutor, insisted that Zahra Kazemi was a spy, contrary to the ministry's view, and ultimately transferred the case to the police's intelligence. Zahra Kazemi, an Iranian-Canadian journalist-photographer, was arrested in 2003 outside Evin Prison and died shortly after. Regarding this case, Ali Younesi, the Minister of Intelligence during Mohammad Khatami's administration, stated in an interview with Iran newspaper that two counter-espionage experts from the Ministry of Intelligence had declared during their interrogation of Kazemi in a hotel that she was 'not a spy technically or scientifically.' He noted that despite this, Mortazavi insisted that Kazemi was a spy and took the case from the Ministry of Intelligence to hand it over to the police's intelligence. According to Younesi, 'It seems that during the inspection process, while handing over items and transferring to the detention center, and not during interrogation, Kazemi was beaten due to her resistance to handing over her belongings, causing her head to hit the street curb, leading to a brain hemorrhage.' Younesi also stated that if Kazemi had been transferred to the hospital in time, she would have certainly survived. He emphasized that 'poor actions, stubbornness, and blaming others or politicizing the issue imposed a heavy political cost on the Islamic Republic, and those involved in this case have been forever labeled as suspects.' In response to Younesi's remarks, the Justice for Iran organization published on Sunday the testimony of Dr. Shahram Azam, a physician at Baqiyatallah Hospital, stating that Kazemi had been 'tortured for several days in prison.' The Sixth Majlis's Article 90 Commission also reported on Kazemi's death, noting that at one point during the seizure of Kazemi's backpack, she had refused to hand it over, during which a severe blow was struck to the left side of her face, and 'the hospital's medical records confirm the injuries.' This report identified Mortazavi as the primary suspect in Kazemi's death, but no action was taken regarding this matter. Younesi also mentioned that 'unfortunately' the Ministry of Intelligence had no responsibility in the case of environmental activists, but the continuation of investigations into this case should be entrusted to this ministry. He stressed that 'even if the detainees are indeed convicted of espionage, it will be difficult to convince public opinion.' Younesi stated that if the Ministry of Intelligence determines that espionage did not occur in this case, it should 'declare this firmly and with evidence,' and this action 'not only has no problem but prevents a new and complicated issue from arising in public or international opinion for the Islamic Republic.' Younesi also remarked, 'It is a mistake to think that others are unaware of our country's situation, including deserts, forests, seas, and roads. Today, satellites easily access this information.' Previously, Mahmoud Alavi, the Minister of Intelligence under Hassan Rouhani, had stated that handling espionage cases is solely the authority of this ministry. However, officials from the IRGC Intelligence Organization have informed members of parliament that based on the criminal procedure law and the charter issued by the Supreme Leader in 2006, this body can also intervene in espionage matters. While the Tehran prosecutor and the judiciary spokesperson have accused Kavous Seyed Emami and detained environmental activists of 'espionage,' the Ministry of Intelligence has not yet independently commented on this case. Meanwhile, Iranian state television aired a program titled 'Forbidden Zone' on Thursday night, claiming that Seyed Emami and other detained environmental activists had engaged in 'espionage.' These claims were made while the case is still under investigation, and previously, judicial officials had repeatedly stated that disclosing details of a case that has not yet been finalized is against the law. In this context, the lawyers for Kavous Seyed Emami's family announced that they would file a complaint against the officials of this television program. Previously, Mohammad Reza Tabesh, head of the environmental faction in parliament, and some university associations rejected the judiciary officials' statements regarding Seyed Emami's 'espionage,' with Tabesh stating that 'the detainees were not political and did not have access to classified information.'