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The execution by the Iranian authorities of opposition journalist Ruhollah Zam in the early hours of Saturday sparked tension between Tehran and the European Union, in the context of the Union’s position condemning the “harsher terms” of this execution, as well as a separate statement from France, which it considered “an act of barbarism.”
Consequently, the Iranian news agencies reported that the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Sunday summoned the German ambassador, Michel Chlor Berchtold, since his country holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, to protest against the statement of the Union on the execution of Zam . The Iranian agency “Tasnim” also reported that the Foreign Ministry also intends to summon the French ambassador, Philip Te Po, to protest the French government’s statement on the execution, which took a brusque tone.
The European Union had commented on the execution of dissident Zem yesterday Saturday, condemning him in “the harshest terms”, underlining the Union’s opposition to this punishment “whatever the circumstances.”
The European Union called on the Iranian authorities to “respect the rights of the accused and stop using television confessions to confirm and prove guilt” of the accused, according to a statement issued by a spokeswoman for the head of the European Commission of Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell.
For its part, the French Chancellery condemned the execution of Zam, calling it “an unacceptable act of barbarism that violates freedom of expression and information” in Iran, announcing in a statement that “France condemns in the strongest terms the execution of the journalist Iranian Rouhallah and considers it a fatal act that affects freedom of expression and freedom of information in Iran. Iran. ”
International organizations, such as Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders, condemned the execution carried out by the Iranian authorities on Saturday.
The execution came after the spokesman for the Iranian judiciary, Gholamhossein Ismaili, revealed last Tuesday that the Supreme Court had approved the death sentence against Ruhollah Zam, handed down on June 30 by the Revolutionary Court.
The indictment against Zam included 17 charges, including “corruption on the ground”, “espionage for the Israeli and French intelligence services by means of an intelligence service of a country in the region”, without revealing his name, ” cooperation with the United States against Iran “and” incitement. ” On the internal war and internal security ”and“ participation in media activities against the regime of the Islamic Republic ”,“ inciting the armed forces to disobedience ”,“ insulting the Islamic sanctities ”and“ insulting the founder of the revolution Islamic ”, Ruhollah Khomeini.
From France, Zam ran the “Amad News” website and a channel with the same name on the “Telegram” platform, which had more than a million members and played a major role in protests in Iran in recent years.
However, the Iranian authorities arrested Zam on October 14, 2019, after he was lured in by the Revolutionary Guard intelligence service from abroad, in a process that they described at the time as “complex and professional.”
Media reports say Zam was lured from France to Iraq, then arrested in cooperation with the Iraqi security services until he was handed over to Iran following his arrest under a joint agreement for the extradition of the wanted persons.
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