Abbas Adalat, Imperial College London Professor, Detained in Iran

The Human Rights Campaign in Iran has reported that security forces of the Islamic Republic have detained Abbas Adalat, a professor at Imperial College and an activist against sanctions and war against Iran. The report on Wednesday, April 24, states that Mr. Adalat was arrested on April 15 of this year, and despite his family providing the necessary bail for his release, the Revolutionary Court ultimately prevented this from happening. The charges against Abbas Adalat are unclear, and the report only cites 'a reliable source' stating that the IRGC forces confiscated some of his belongings, including his computer, CDs, and notes, during his arrest at his home. Abbas Adalat is a professor of computer science and mathematics at Imperial College London, who has received awards for his articles in these fields. However, he has gained fame for his activities against sanctions and war with Iran. He has launched a campaign in this regard and published notes in media such as The Guardian. Hadi Ghaemi, the director of the Human Rights Campaign in Iran, condemned Mr. Adalat's arrest, considering it part of the Islamic Republic's case-making against dual nationals. He stated, 'Iran continues to arbitrarily detain dual nationals without providing any explanation or transparency. Security agencies, especially the IRGC Intelligence Organization and the Iranian judiciary, are responsible for the safety and health of these detainees.' Meanwhile, the British Foreign Office has stated that it is seeking information from Iran regarding Mr. Adalat's detention. A spokesperson for the ministry said, 'We are urgently seeking information from Iranian officials regarding reports of the arrest of a dual Iranian-British citizen.' The spokesperson, who remained unnamed, stated that there are currently no further details available on this matter. The report from the Human Rights Campaign in Iran indicates that the IRGC has detained and imprisoned over 30 dual nationals since the nuclear agreement. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, an employee of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, is one of these individuals who, like Abbas Adalat, holds British citizenship. Kamal Faroughi is another dual Iranian-British citizen who was arrested by Iranian security agents about seven years ago and remains in prison. He was tried for espionage and sentenced to eight years in prison.