Iranian law enforcement prevented gathering of relatives of downed UIA Boeing
Iranian law enforcement prevented the gathering of relatives of the downed UIA Boeing (photo: screenshot from the video)
On Saturday morning, February 3, in Tehran, a rally organized by the families of the passengers who died in the Ukrainian plane shot down by Iran in 2020 was dispersed, according to Voice of America.
Several families of the PS752 flight passengers from Ukraine International Airlines gathered outside the UN office, demanding justice from the Iranian government. They accuse the country's authorities of obstructing the investigation into the crash of Flight 752, which was shot down on the morning of January 8, 2020, by two Iranian surface-to-air missiles.
The participants in the protest requested a meeting with the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada al-Nashif. However, Iranian security agents and security forces immediately began dispersing the crowd with threats and intimidation.
The Association of PS752 Families reported on X that they found the behavior of the security forces to be offensive and cruel. They mentioned that the forces were prepared for any harsh reaction.
امروز شنبه ۱۴ بهمن ۱۴۰۲ تعدادی از خانوادههای جانباختگان پرواز پیاس۷۵۲ در اعتراض به سفر خانم ندا النشیف، معاون کمیسریای عالی حقوق بشر سازمان ملل متحد، در مقابل دفتر این سازمان در تهران جمع شدند و با پلاکاردهایی که در دست داشتند خواستهها و اعتراضات خود را نشان دادند.
— Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims (@ps752justice) February 3, 2024
لازم به… pic.twitter.com/hqXJUiGL6K
The relatives of the deceased consider that Iran is shielding criminals who committed intentional murder, a deliberate attack on the civilian population or civilian objects, violation of personal dignity and looting, as well as crimes against humanity in the form of murder and other inhumane acts.
Earlier, the families of the victims also signed a statement demanding the cancellation of Nada al-Nashif's trip to Iran.
UIA plane crash in Iran
On January 8, 2020, shortly after taking off from Tehran airport, a Boeing 737-800 of Ukraine International Airlines crashed. All 176 people on board, mostly Iranians and Canadians of Iranian descent flying to Canada via Kyiv, died.
The investigation revealed that the plane was intentionally shot down by missiles from the Tor-M1 anti-aircraft missile system. The military mistakenly identified the plane as a U.S. missile.
On July 7, 2022, Ukraine International Airlines filed a lawsuit against Iran for the downed passenger plane over Tehran.
On April 16, 2023, Iran's court sentenced 10 military personnel in the case of the PS752 crash.
In July 2023, Canada, the UK, Sweden, and Ukraine, the four countries that lost citizens in the PS752 incident, appealed to the International Court of Justice in The Hague to initiate proceedings against Iran.
For more details on the blind spot in the UIA crash case and efforts to hold Iran accountable, read the article by RBC-Ukraine.
