On January 8, 2020, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) shot down flight PS752 shortly after its takeoff in Tehran, killing all on board, including 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents. The investigation into the downing of the flight was handled by the Iranian regime in accordance with existing international standards. The investigation was grossly mishandled, highlighting the inadequacy of the international framework in situations where the State responsible for investigating an aviation accident is also the State responsible for the accident.
After six years of advocacy by the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims (the Association), the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) decided on March 27, 2026 to amend Annex 13 – Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation of the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention). The amendment, which will come into force on November 23, 2028, will provide new guidance “to help States manage investigations where an actual or perceived conflict of interest could undermine confidence in the findings”; this guidance includes, for example, measures to “to enhance transparency and credibility include delegating investigations to another State, or a regional accident investigation organization, inviting ICAO and/or third-party States to observe the investigation, and providing timely, verified factual information to the public” as well as emphasis on “the importance of appropriate communication with victims of accidents and their families.”
A May 2026 letter from the Honourable Minister of Transport, Steven MacKinnon, to the Association thanked the families for their ongoing advocacy and asserted that “[t]his successful change to Annex 13 is another testament to your tireless efforts in memory of your loved ones. They will never be forgotten.”
Human Rights Action Group co-founders David Matas and Sarah Teich are among the five legal advisors to the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims.
