Swiss Embassy Seeks Clarity on the Death of National in Iranian Prison
The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the death of one of its nationals imprisoned on espionage charges in Iran’s Semnan province. The embassy in Tehran is currently in contact with local authorities to clarify the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.
Reports from the Iranian judiciary’s Mizan news agency revealed that the unidentified prisoner allegedly asked a cellmate to bring him food and then took his own life while alone in his cell. Mohammad Sadegh Akbari, head of the province’s justice department, stated that efforts to save him were unsuccessful.
Semnan prison is situated approximately 180 kilometers east of Tehran and has housed various foreign detainees. Switzerland has historically acted as an intermediary between the United States and Iran, especially following the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover, representing U.S. interests in the region.
In recent years, Iran has detained numerous foreigners and dual nationals, frequently citing espionage and security-related charges. Rights organizations contend that Tehran employs such arrests as a means to leverage concessions from other nations, a claim the Iranian government has vehemently denied.
Amid these ongoing tensions, Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was released on Wednesday after three weeks of detention in Iran. Sala, a reporter for Il Foglio, had been arrested while on a regular journalist visa, accused of breaching Iranian laws. Speculations linking her arrest to the detention of an Iranian businessman in Italy related to U.S. allegations were dismissed by Iranian authorities.
The Swiss embassy’s investigation into the death of the unidentified prisoner underlines the delicate situation regarding foreign nationals in Iran, amidst growing concerns about their treatment and the motivations behind such detentions.
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