Advertisement
This Article is From Jun 26, 2009

Iranian doctor blames militia for killing Neda

London: An Iranian doctor who claims he tried to save Neda Agha-Soltan, whose killing on a Tehran street made her an icon of the opposition, has said she was apparently shot by a member of the Islamic Basij militia.

Arash Hejazi, who is studying at a university in the south of England, told the BBC on Thursday the crowd identified the man they believed was the shooter shortly after the young woman died from a gunshot wound to the chest.

Amateur videos of her bleeding to death posted on the Internet and broadcast across the world triggered an outcry over Iranian authorities' clampdown on protests against the disputed presidential vote.

Today, groups of Iranians streamed into Tehran's Behest-e Zahra cemetery to mourn at Neda's grave, witnesses said. The grave, under a small cement block, was covered with flowers and with green ribbons, the signature colour of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi's campaign.

"What sin did she commit?" asked a young woman who was in tears as she knelt in front of the grave, praying for Neda's soul and rubbed her hands on the remains of candles that had been placed on the cement block.

An elderly man who came with his family, with one of the children wearing a green wrist band, said "pray for our future."

Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world

Follow us:
Listen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com