Hamilton continues to mourn PS752 victims as Persian community seeks justice

Six years on, Hamilton’s Persian community is still reeling from the impacts of downed Flight PS752.

The Ukraine Airlines flight was shot down by the Iranian armed forces on Jan. 8, 2020, killing all 176 passengers on board — including three members of the Hamilton community.

Hamilton’s Iranian association is hoping to plan a memorial here in the city in the coming days, and says not a day goes by for family members without thinking of their loved ones, six years after the tragic event.

With candles, music and photos of the victims, family and community members marked the sixth anniversary of the downed Ukraine Airlines flight.

“We want to make sure the public at large are aware we are still seeking truth and justice, we want to keep the memory of our loved ones alive,” said Kourosh Doustshenas, fiancée killed on Flight PS752.

Flight PS752 was en route from Tehran to Kyiv when it was shot down by the Iranian military.

Fifty-five Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents were on board — including three members of the Hamilton community, two of which were students at McMaster University.

“It was something that should have never happened. There’s never any way to bring back those victims. Unfortunately we continue to remember this yearly, but the parents and the families of the victims continue to carry that daily with them,” said Nila Amedi, member of the Iranian Cultural & Social Association of Hamilton.

READ MORE: Victims’ families mark six-year anniversary of Flight PS752 downing in Iran

Canada, along with international partners, including the United Kingdom, Sweden and Ukraine, has for years vowed to seek answers about the crash and hold the Iranian regime accountable at the International Court of Justice.

Today, Prime Minister Mark Carney vowed to keep pressing for justice. In a statement, he writes: “The shocking and unlawful downing of Flight PS752 left a profound mark on Canadians, and Canada remains unwavering in our commitment to hold Iran accountable.”

At this point, Iran has not claimed full legal responsibility for the incident – and until that happens, Hamilton’s Iranian cultural organization says: “Unfortunately I do not feel as if justice has been served.”

Last year, Ontario’s highest court upheld a ruling that found Ukraine International Airlines legally responsible for paying full compensation to victims’ families.

“The tragedy of PS752 continues to live on. And unfortunately back home, there continues to be cries for freedom, which we are seeing still today in the streets of Iran,” said Amedi.

The grim anniversary comes as renewed anti-government protests are sweeping the streets of Tehran.

Human rights groups say at least 36 people have been killed across the country after shopkeepers took to the streets last month, angered by a sharp decline in the Iranian currency, followed by security crackdowns.

The Ford government also announced today that it would provide $350,000 to construct a memorial for the victims in the same Richmond Hill park where the vigil took place Wednesday night. It’s expected to be completed in 2027.

Hamilton’s Iranian association says it feels amazing to see the provincial and federal governments stand with the community.

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