For 42 months, the family members of victims of Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752, shot down by Iran, have called for Tehran to be held accountable – and their waiting may now be at an end.
On Tuesday, Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and the UK asked the UN’s top court to open proceedings against Iran for its involvement in the downing of flight PS752.
All 176 people on board, including more than 50 Canadian citizens and permanent residents, were killed when a surface-to-air missile struck the plane three minutes after take-off.
Iran initially denied any involvement, only to later concede that it had hit the plane by mistake.
The incident occurred during an especially tense period between Iran and the US, following the assassination of Qassem Suleimani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force.
“We’re so pleased to see the affected countries finally took this very important step for us,” said Navaz Ebrahim, president of the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims.
Ms Ebrahim's brother-in-law and sister Nilofour were returning to the UK after celebrating their marriage in Iran.
“They had their whole life ahead of them,” she told The National. “They were planning everything and all their dreams were cut short and they were brutally taken away.”
According to the filing at the International Court of Justice, Iran is accused of breaching a 1971 multilateral treaty on threats to civil aviation.
“Iran failed to take all practicable measures to prevent the unlawful and intentional commission of an offence described in Article 1 of the Montreal Convention, including the destruction of Flight PS752,” the filing stated.
Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and Britain also accuse Iran of failing to conduct an “impartial, transparent and fair criminal investigation and prosecution consistent with international law” – something the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims has long contended.
“We're still fighting and we're gonna continue to fight until we find truth and justice for our loved ones,” said Ms Ebrahim.
It has been a long and difficult process for the families, many of whom have rallied together to demand justice.
“My only goal in life is to seek the truth and justice in her name and all the other victims of that flight,” said Kourosh Doustshenas, who lost his fiancee, Forough Khadem, in the incident.
The real estate agent, who lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, said his world has been darkened by what happened.
“Ever since I lost her, my life has changed in many ways,” Mr Doustshenas told The National. “I am a highly functional person but as far as having joy in life or looking forward to any kind of happiness, it is gone.”
