Amnesty International: The Release of Hamid Nouri Was Shocking and Will Encourage Iranian Officials

Amnesty International described the release of Hamid Nouri, a former deputy prosecutor of Gohardasht prison who was sentenced to life imprisonment in Sweden for his involvement in the execution of thousands of political prisoners in the 1980s in Iran, as "shocking." In a statement released on Tuesday, June 18, the organization referred to Nouri's exchange for two Swedish prisoners as a "stunning blow" to the survivors and relatives of the victims of the 1980s executions in Iran. The organization added that those seeking justice and truth are "horrified" by the message sent to the officials of the Islamic Republic that their crimes will go unpunished. Hamid Nouri, who was known by the alias "Hamid Abbasi" during the political prisoners' executions in 1988, returned to Iran on June 16 as part of a prisoner exchange for Johan Flodros and Saeed Azizi. His release has faced widespread backlash from Iranian human rights activists, with political activists and human rights defenders strongly criticizing the Swedish government's approach during the exchange, calling it "shameful." Amnesty International stated that Nouri's release "further fuels the impunity crisis" in the Islamic Republic and that the conditions of his pardon by the Swedish government and his return to Iran confirm the organization's previous concerns about the hostage-taking of Swedish citizens by Iranian officials to exchange them for Hamid Nouri. The organization criticized the Swedish government's decision to release this human rights violator because it emboldens Iranian officials to commit more crimes under international law, including "hostage-taking without fear of consequences," and undermines the "right to access justice." Amnesty International also warned that this action by the Swedish government exacerbates concerns about the country's commitment to international law. The organization expressed happiness about the release of Johan Flodros and Saeed Azizi, Swedish citizens who eventually returned to their country, but remains concerned about the potential execution of Ahmadreza Jalali, a Swedish-Iranian citizen imprisoned in Iran. Amnesty International has urged the Swedish government to take immediate action to secure his release and return home and to investigate all suspected Iranian officials for human rights violations against Ahmadreza Jalali, including his torture. Ahmadreza Jalali, a dual national Iranian-Swedish physician and researcher, was arrested by intelligence agents in May 2016 while traveling to Iran to attend a scientific conference. He was subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court on charges of espionage for Israel. After Nouri's release, an audio file of Ahmadreza Jalali was published in which he protests to the Swedish Prime Minister. In this phone conversation with his wife, Jalali tells Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, "You decided to release me despite the risk of execution." Amnesty International emphasized the importance of the trial of Hamid Nouri in Sweden, which was issued after three decades of efforts by survivors and relatives of the victims, stating that this was the first time an Iranian official was held accountable in this regard. The organization has called on all governments to hold former and current Iranian officials accountable for crimes against humanity and other crimes. Hamid Nouri, 62, was arrested by Swedish police on November 9, 2019, upon his arrival at Stockholm airport on a direct flight from Iran, based on complaints from human rights activists and opponents of the Iranian government. The Swedish prosecution against Nouri was based on evidence related to the secret massacre of several thousand political prisoners in the summer of 1988 in the prisons of the Islamic Republic. During the executions of the summer of 1988, Hamid Nouri was known by the alias "Hamid Abbasi" and was the deputy prosecutor of Gohardasht prison, although he and his lawyers made differing statements in court regarding this matter. The Swedish prosecution charged Nouri based on the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows for the prosecution of crimes regardless of where they were committed, and Swedish judicial authorities prosecuted him on this basis. In a case that took 93 sessions in Swedish courts, at least 60 complainants and witnesses and 12 experts in Islamic jurisprudence and international law spoke about Hamid Nouri's case. After a lengthy trial, a court in Sweden sentenced him to life imprisonment in July 2022 for "gross violations of international humanitarian law and murder." An appeals court also confirmed the life sentence for Nouri on December 19. The Supreme Court of Sweden announced in March 2023 that it would not review the appeal against Nouri's sentence, thus upholding his life imprisonment.