July 24, 2004

Iran Clears Agent Accused of Journalist Killing Reuters - An Iranian court has acquitted an intelligence agent charged with killing Canadian-Iranian journalist Zahra Kazemi in custody last year, his lawyer said on Saturday. The Kazemi case has soured Iran's ties with Canada -- which last week recalled its ambassador from Tehran. The trial, which ended abruptly last Sunday after just three court sessions, also exposed Iran's human rights record and judicial processes to international scrutiny and highlighted deep rifts between President Mohammad Khatami's reformist government and the hardline judiciary.  Kazemi, was executed last June for taking photographs of Tehran's Evin prison. 3:32:10 PM