The Islamic Republic has cited the woman’s murder, another case of an Iranian youth killed in what Canadian police believe was a drug dispute and a third murder in Canada for which the Iran Times finds no records as proof that Canada is unsafe for Iranians and that the Canadian government doesn’t care to protect Iranians.
The regime has recommended that Iranians avoid Canada in the interests of their own safety.
Last week, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that the shopkeeper’s killer was “finally” arrested, “thanks to Foreign Ministry and Iranian Embassy efforts and perseverance.”
IRNA said the Foreign Ministry reported that the arrests came as a result of “several meetings with Canadian officials and the summoning of the Canadian charge d’affaires, during which the need for faster pursuit of the matter was always stressed.”
The Hamilton police said they spent six months trying to locate a suspect seen in surveillance camera tapes and then investigating him before they could link him to the crime.
In the other case, involving an Iranian teen shot dead in Ottawa, police arrested three men the day after the killing and are seeking a fourth man, believed to be the actual gunman, an Arab suspected of having fled to the Middle East after the shooting.
On Monday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry issued its second warning to Iranians about the dangers of visiting Canada. It said:
“Islamophobia and Irano-phobia have been considerably on the rise in Canada and this issue has influenced the behavior of certain governmental and non-governmental bodies. We have seen cases of arrest and deportation of Iranian citizens under various excuses. In some cases, Canada’s governmental bodies have acted in a way to prevent Iranian citizens, who have been the victims of such behavior, from accessing fair legal proceedings.”
The report added: “The performance of the Canadian police has shown that they do not have sufficient willpower or competence to pursue crimes against Iranian residents in Canada. There have been cases of murder of Iranian citizens about which—in spite of frequent appeals [by Iran]— the Canadian police have not provided any report indicating they have taken serious measures to hunt down the murderers.”
The warning concluded: “Naturally, the Islamic Republic of Iran will use all legal means to defend the rights of its citizens outside of Iran, including Canada. However, given the biased approach of the government of Canada toward Iranian citizens, it is essential for those esteemed citizens who intend to travel to Canada to take serious heed of this warning.”
