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The Swedish-Iranian Ahmadreza Djalali has been sentenced to death in Iran, accused of spying on behalf of the Israeli intelligence service Mossad.
In recent days, there have been reports that Djalali is about to be executed very soon. Soon after, however, information came from Amnesty, among others, indicating that the execution of the death penalty has been postponed.
The hope has been raised that Djalali may be subject to prisoner exchange.
Djalali is not alone
There are several examples of people from other countries, some of them with dual citizenship, who were imprisoned when they visited Iran on suspicion of espionage or various conspiracies against the state. Just days ago, British-Australian religion researcher Kylie Moore-Gilbert was released after two years in prison in Iran in what appeared to be a prisoner swap.
“Completely manufactured”
Now, the Iranian ambassador to Sweden, Ahmad Masoumi, is commenting on the case. According to the ambassador, the information that Djalali was imprisoned to be used in exchange for prisoners by other Iranian prisoners in Europe is “totally unfounded”.
– It’s a completely fabricated stage. It may even be the other way around because Iranian prisoners in Europe were jailed after him, Masoumi writes in an email to SVT.
According to Masoumi, Djalali was part of a “dangerous puzzle game” that led to the murder of several Iranian nuclear scientists. He also believes that the Iranian people are behind the decision to sentence Djalali to death.
The ambassador has not commented on the question of whether Djalali can be considered for a prisoner exchange in the future.
“He has had a lawyer”
International human rights organizations have repeatedly pointed out that Djalali’s trial is unfair, as it was based on unfounded accusations and false confessions.
The allegations are refuted by Ambassador Ahmad Masoumi, who says that Djalali had a lawyer present during his trial and also had regular telephone contact with his wife during his time in prison.
The fact that Djalali has dual citizenship will hardly benefit him, writes Masoumi, who believes that the issuance of Djalali’s Swedish citizenship was a political act.
– Such a policy will not have a positive effect on a trial, he writes.
Sitting in Evin Prison in Tehran
Ahmadreza Djalali has been in an Iranian prison since 2016 and was sentenced to death in 2017. In 2018, he received Swedish citizenship, a decision made by the Swedish Immigration Board. Since then, he has been imprisoned mainly in the infamous Evin Prison outside the capital Tehran.
