September 12-14
The Iranian Judiciary’s High Council for Human Rights has expressed “deep concern” over the “suspicious” death of an Iranian national in a jail in the Philippines last month.
In a statement Tuesday, the council called on the Philippines to shoulder responsibility for the sudden death of Parviz Khaki.
Khaki was arrested in March 2012 at Manila airport at the request of the US government, which sought to extradite him for trial in the United States for sanctions violations.
Khaki remained in a Manila prison for 27 months until he died on August 18 from a heart attack, according to the Philippine government.
The Iranian rights council said in the statement that it was concerned about US interference in Khaki’s case. “Allegations raised by US officials against the Iranian national are seriously doubted and therefore are not justified,” the statement said.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Philippine ambassador to Tehran, Eduardo Martin Menez, last month to express Tehran’s anger over Khaki’s death, saying the US and the Philippines should be held accountable for his passing.