The Netherlands is recalling its ambassador to Iran for consultations over the death of a Dutch-Iranian woman while in Iranian custody and the failure of the authorities to return her body to her family.
The Dutch foreign ministry said the ambassador would return to The Hague on February 10. Iran's ambassador would also be summoned shortly to the Dutch foreign ministry.
The Netherlands froze diplomatic contacts with Iran after Zahra Bahrami, a 45-year-old woman with dual Dutch-Iranian citizenship, was reportedly hanged last month for alleged drug smuggling.
Her family says the charge was fabricated after she was arrested for participating in antigovernment protests in 2009. Iran, which does not recognize dual citizenship, had denied her Dutch consular access.
According to postings on Iranian blogs and news websites, Bahrami actually died while being tortured during interrogation by Iranian authorities. Those reports could not be independently confirmed.
She was buried some 400 kilometers away from Tehran and her family could not attend the funeral.
Reuters