Canada and Coordination Group File Memorial with ICJ Against Iran Over Flight PS752 Downing

Today, the PS752 Coordination Group—comprising Canada, Ukraine, Sweden, and the UK—has officially filed a memorial with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the Islamic Republic of Iran. The case was initially filed by the four involved countries in the ICJ in July 2023. This legal action pertains to the tragic downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 by missiles launched by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

According to the Canadian government, the 1,500-page memorial outlines the detailed statement of facts, legal arguments for Iran’s several breaches of the convention, guarantees of non-repetition, assurance of reparations and clearly establishing Iran’s responsibility for the downing.

In accordance with ICJ procedures, the Islamic Republic of Iran has one year from today to submit its counter-memorial and relevant documentation to the court.

This filing marks one of several key legal steps taken by the PS752 families and involved nations in their pursuit of justice. To date, three major lawsuits have been initiated: a case brought by Canada, Ukraine, Sweden, and the UK with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), another case by the same nations before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and a case filed by the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims with the International Criminal Court (ICC). The families now call on the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to open a criminal investigation as one of the remaining legal avenues to hold the Islamic Republic of Iran fully accountable for this crime.

Flight PS752 was shot down by missiles of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the morning of January 8, 2020, in the skies over Tehran. In this crime, 176 passengers and crew members, along with one unborn child, lost their lives.