A friend of an Iranian-Canadian academic who died in an Iranian prison disputes Tehran's claim that he took his own life.
Kavous Seyed-Emami, 63, was an environmental activist and academic imprisoned by Iranian authorities and later died in detention, his son said on social media on Saturday.
On his Instagram account, Raam Emami wrote that authorities said his father had killed himself.
But Seyed-Emami's friend Ahmad Sadri finds that "very, very hard to believe."
"The suicide came as such a shock to his friends and to the academic community," Sadri, who met Seyed-Emami at an Iranian university during a sabbatical, told CBC News on Sunday.
"It is impossible for me to even consider the possibility of him contemplating suicide," he said, adding that Seyed-Emami was "physically and psychologically very well put together.
"The situation, the news is so sketchy and the information is too unbelievable."
Sadri urges the Canadian government to pressure Iran "to create clarity about this horrible tragedy."
"I think the Iran government is obligated to provide a detailed account of what really happened to him."
Canada has no embassy in Iran. A spokesperson for Global Affairs told CBC News in an emailed statement on Saturday that consular officials "are working to gather additional information and are providing assistance to the family of the Canadian citizen."
Until then, Sadri said he will continue to mourn Seyed-Emami's death and remember his passion and love for the outdoors and hiking.
"He was a dear friend," said Sadri. "He dedicated his life to the protection of the environement."
from CBC | Top Stories News http://ift.tt/2nSlQs6
http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Source Link
No comments:
Post a Comment