Ahmadreza Jalali to Swedish Prime Minister After Hamid Nouri Exchange: You Left Me Facing Execution in Evin

Ahmadreza Jalali, a dual-national Iranian-Swedish prisoner at risk of execution, criticized Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in an audio file provided to Voice of America, expressing disappointment at being left behind during the prisoner exchange in Iran. In the audio, sent to the Persian section of Voice of America on Tuesday, June 18, he states, "I am speaking to you from Evin Prison, a terrifying cell where I have spent eight years and two months, nearly three thousand days of my life." He emphasized to the Swedish Prime Minister that despite such conditions, "you decided to turn your back on me." This dual-national prisoner highlighted that his family is currently "heartbroken and sad" and that he is worried about them, adding, "You left me facing the grave danger of execution in Evin Prison. You did not fight for [changing] my situation or for the cancellation of my death sentence." Jalali also pointed out the release of Johan Flodros, a Swedish citizen, and Saeed Azizi, a dual-national Iranian-Swedish citizen, who were exchanged for Hamid Nouri, stating, "I believe my remaining in Iran is a blatant discrimination." Ahmadreza Jalali, an Iranian-Swedish doctor, was arrested in spring 2016 after being invited to Tehran for a lecture. Iranian judicial authorities have sentenced Ahmadreza Jalali to death on charges of "espionage." This dual-national prisoner has previously gone on hunger strikes in protest against the court ruling and the threat of execution. Vida Mehranian, Ahmadreza Jalali's wife, reacted to the prisoner exchange between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Sweden, emphasizing that this action by the Swedish government has angered all Iranians. Hamid Nouri, a former deputy warden of Gohardasht Prison, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Swedish Supreme Court for his involvement in the execution of thousands of political prisoners in the 1980s. This verdict was issued after more than 90 court sessions with the presence of plaintiffs and witnesses. The release of Hamid Nouri and his return to Iran sparked a wave of public outrage among Iranians and widespread reactions from political and human rights figures.