Iranian Trader Arrested Again in Czech Republic, This Time at Iran's Request

On Monday, the spokesperson for the Czech police announced that Shahram Abdollahzadeh, an Iranian-Czech trader, was arrested just hours after being temporarily released from prison, this time at the request of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Petra Ledabylova, one of the Czech police spokespersons, told the country's news agency that an international arrest warrant for Mr. Abdollahzadeh had been issued by Iran. The trial of Shahram Abdollahzadeh is set to take place in March (about a month from now) in the Czech Republic. He is accused of tax evasion and organizing criminal activities in the country. Mr. Abdollahzadeh, who spent 22 months in prison in Brno, southern Czech Republic, was released on Monday after posting bail of 150 million korunas, equivalent to about six million US dollars, the highest amount ever paid as bail in Czech history. This Iranian businessman could face up to 13 years in prison in the Czech Republic. Shahram Abdollahzadeh is accused of committing tax fraud amounting to about two and a half billion Czech korunas, equivalent to nearly 100 million US dollars, under the guise of fuel exports from Slovenia and Germany. At least 65 companies collaborated with Mr. Abdollahzadeh in this activity. However, he denies all charges against him, claiming he is innocent. Czech media report that the United Arab Emirates nearly arrested this Iranian businessman in 2010, but Mr. Abdollahzadeh managed to marry a Czech woman at the embassy of that country in Abu Dhabi and immediately came to the Czech Republic after obtaining a passport from this European country. In 2009, Shahram Abdollahzadeh told the website of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Mines that the rulers of the United Arab Emirates illegally detained him and managed to appropriate hundreds of millions of dollars of his assets in their name. Mr. Abdollahzadeh then stated that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran, had ordered that his rights be restored through diplomatic means. The arrest of this Iranian businessman in the Czech Republic, this time at the request of the Islamic Republic, comes as the head of Interpol Iran announced increased efforts to arrest Mahmoud Reza Khavari, the former CEO of Bank Melli Iran, in Canada and return him to Iran. According to Jam-e Jam Online, Masoud Rezvani, the head of Interpol Iran, said that 'the Canadian police have stated that Mr. Khavari's case has been sent to the judicial authorities of that country, and we must pursue his arrest through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.' Mr. Khavari, one of the main suspects in the infamous three thousand billion tomans embezzlement case, fled to Canada in 2011 and has not returned to Iran since.