Foruhar's children demand international probe into
murder of parents
TEHRAN, Jan 7 (AFP) - The son and daughter of Daryush Foruhar, an Iranian
dissident recently murdered along with his wife, insisted on Thursday that
an international investigation be conducted into the murder of their parents.
The request was made despite an admission by Iran's intelligence ministry
on Tuesday that renegade agents were involved in the Foruhars' killings
as well as the kidnapping and murder of several writers.
"It took the intelligence ministry weeks to admit the truth that
was clear to all from the first day," said Arash and Parastu Foruhar
in a statement faxed to AFP.
"We neither know about the identity of those arrested, nor their
rank, or whether they are the real organizers of these evil acts or just
agents who have to be sacrificed so that their commanders can escape punishment,"
they said.
"It is our natural right to demand an independent investigation
into the crimes against us and others. We want the truth and the whole
truth to be exposed.
"These crimes should be investigated by a team of international
lawyers. Amnesty International and another human rights organisation
have already asked to send a team and are waiting for a response from
the Islamic republic," they added.
Iran's foreign ministry said Wednesday it would not allow any international
interference in the affair.
Foruhar, the leader of the secular nationalist Iranian Nation's Party,
and his wife, Parvaneh, were found stabbed to death at their Tehran home
on November 22.
Secular writers Mohammad Mokhtari and Mohammad Pouyandeh were kidnapped
and murdered in early December. Another intellectual, Majid Sharif, was
found dead under mysterious circumstances around the same time.
Iranian leaders had condemned the murders and pledged to find the killers.
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