Foreign
IRAN’s judiciary on Tuesday confirmed the detention of a Swedish European Union employee.
Last week, EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said Johan Floderus, a Swedish citizen working for the EU, had been held by Tehran for over 500 days.
Judiciary spokesman, Massoud Satayshi, said on Tuesday.
“This Swedish citizen has committed offences on the soil of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the basis of which investigations are under way,” he said.
Iran’s intelligence service reported the arrest of the Swedish national in 2022, but did not confirm his identity.
It only said the person was detained on espionage charges and had been under surveillance.
Tehran has repeatedly targeted foreigners, imprisoning them on charges of espionage or other violations of national security.
Human rights activists criticised the trials, which were often held behind closed doors, as unfair.
In May, Iran’s judiciary executed a Swedish-Iranian dissident accused of terrorist activities.
Another dual national, Ahmad Reza Jalali, a medical doctor, was also sentenced to death in Iran following espionage charges.
Iran is demanding that Sweden release Hamid N, a national sentenced to life imprisonment for his involvement in the mass execution of political prisoners in Iran.
The confirmation of the Swede’s detention comes on the heels of an announcement that the U.S. has advanced negotiations for a swap with Iran over five U.S. citizens previously imprisoned.
They would be allowed to leave Iran in exchange for the release of some frozen Iranian assets. (dpa/NAN)
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-September. 12, 2023 @ 14:25 GMT |
Tags: Ahmad Reza Jalali Johan Floderus Josep Borrell Massoud Satayshi
