International Coordination Group: Iran conducted a “mock” trial of its military over the downing of the UIA plane

The International Group for the Coordination of Aid to the Victims of Passenger Flight PS752 called Iranʼs trial of ten Iranian military personnel for the downing of a Ukrainian UIA passenger plane in 2020 as "fictitious".

In a joint statement, the coordination group added that the sentencing of the alleged perpetrators of the plane crash "did not bring truth or justice to the families of the victims."

"The entire process, starting with Iranʼs investigation into the circumstances of the downing, was biased and opaque," the statement said.

They emphasized that the trials in Tehran should not distract the worldʼs attention from Iranʼs failure to fulfill its international obligations, and the International Group will continue to work to bring the perpetrators to justice.

• On January 8, 2020, UIA passenger flight PS752 was shot down by two anti-aircraft missiles in Tehran, the capital of Iran. All 176 people on board, including 57 Canadian citizens, died. Within days, Iran admitted that its forces accidentally shot down the plane. On January 9, intelligence agencies of the USA and EU countries reported that the military was to blame for the tragedy. Ukrainian authorities declared Iranʼs responsibility on January 11.
• The Ministry of Defense of Iran considered responsible for the tragedy the operator of the missile system, who violated the rules of firing "without permission". The air defense complex "forgot" to reconfigure after the move, so it mistakenly identified the plane as a target.
• On March 17, 2021 , Iran released the final report on the plane crash. Ukraine called him cynical and manipulative. Soon, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine accused Iran of manipulation and refusal to cooperate in the investigation.
• On January 8, 2022, the Prosecutor Generalʼs Office named the alleged perpetrators of the crime.
• On April 16 this year , the court of Iran announced the sentences of ten military personnel for the downing of the UIA plane. The commander was sentenced to 10 years in prison, nine more soldiers were given from one to three years behind bars.