Plane shot down in Iran | Canada marks the first anniversary of the tragedy

(Toronto) Relatives in Canada of victims of the Ukrainian plane crash in Iran called for justice for them a year ago.

Colin Perkel and Liam Casey
The Canadian Press

The tragedy of Ukraine International’s carrier PS752, which was shot down by the Iranian army on January 8, 2020, killed 176 people on board. Of them, 55 are Canadian nationals, 30 are permanent residents and 53 are traveling to Canada, many of them Iranian students.

The memorial service, part of an international effort, began with a video broadcast Thursday night at 9:42 p.m. EDT, the exact time the plane took off from Tehran a year ago. . Evidence was heard from relatives of the victims and stories about the lives of 176 victims were read, photos and videos of their disappearances were paraded.

On a cold but sunny Friday in Toronto, a few hundred people gathered, some of them shedding tears over their black masks marked “Justice.” They caught signs that printed a missing photo. Memorial services are also scheduled for Friday in Montreal and Edmonton.

“We lost them unjustly. They are innocent people. They are ordinary citizens. They did nothing against anyone. Toronto Farzad Alawi said, his wife Neda Sadigi died in this tragedy. It was no accident. We demand justice.”

The International Coordination and Response Group for Flight PS752 Victims has once again called on Tehran to clarify what led to the plane crash and to pay appropriate compensation to the victims’ relatives.

“We urge Iran to provide a full and comprehensive account of the events and decisions that led to this catastrophic plane crash,” the group said in a statement posted on its Global Affairs Canada website. Our countries call on Iran to do justice to the families of the victims and the affected countries and to see that they receive full compensation. ”

National Victims’ Day

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called on Iran to provide the victims and their loved ones with the transparency, accountability and justice they deserve. “We will continue to support their needs and their plight,” he wrote Friday. Today and every day we remember those tragedies and the people we lost. ”

In a previous statement, Trudeau said Canada provides a way to permanent residence for relatives of victims who may already be applying to stay in the country. Canada declares January 8 as National Remembrance Day for Air Disaster Victims.

Relatives paid tribute to the missing in Farsi during a memorial service on Friday organized by the Association of Families of Victims of Flight PS752. The biographies of 176 victims were read throughout Friday night.

Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards shot dead a plane leaving Kiev shortly after takeoff from Tehran. A few days ago, US President Donald Trump ordered the removal of prominent Iranian General Qassam Solomon at Baghdad airport.

Tehran initially denied firing the plane, then mistakenly thought the plane was a missile and shot it down accidentally. Iran recently pledged 000 150,000 to the families of the victims. But loved ones in Canada are reminded that what people want are answers.

The federal government has announced that it will create scholarships in memory of the victims. Alberta Premier Jason Kenny has announced 000 250,000, for a memorial fund at the University of Alberta. Western University has announced a $ 3,000 annual fundraiser on behalf of one of four students at a London, camel school killed on Flight PS752.