Lawyer for Ahmadreza Jalali Calls for Review of His Client's Death Sentence

The lawyer for Ahmadreza Jalali, a researcher sentenced to death for allegedly spying for Israel, pointed out what she described as 'deficiencies' in her client's case and stated that a request for a review of the case has been filed with the Supreme Court. Zeynab Taheri told Agence France-Presse on Wednesday, January 24, that 'we have requested a re-examination of the issued sentence due to the many deficiencies in this case.' According to her, this request was registered with the Supreme Court 10 days ago, and she hopes the death sentence will be overturned. Ahmadreza Jalali, a crisis management and emergency specialist residing in Sweden, was arrested during a trip to Iran in May 2016. Iranian authorities accused him of spying for Israel, claiming that his information led to the assassination of several Iranian nuclear scientists. The Islamic Revolutionary Court found the charges valid and sentenced Jalali to death, a ruling that was also confirmed by the Supreme Court of Iran. Jalali has denied all these accusations, insisting that his confessions were made under pressure and threat, thus lacking credibility. In another part of the report, Agence France-Presse addressed Jalali's physical condition, noting that his lawyer expressed concern about it. Zeynab Taheri stated, 'His physical condition is by no means favorable, and even though he does not have nutritional issues, he is constantly getting weaker and losing weight every day.' Previously, one of Jalali's lawyers in Belgium had warned about his physical and mental condition, stating that his client had been under psychological pressure for two years and has a poor physical state. Jalali has also been a guest professor at the 'VUB' University in Belgium, which has raised concerns among Belgian officials regarding his death sentence, and the European Union has announced that it is following this case. This ruling has sparked protests from human rights groups, with Amnesty International calling it a violation of the rule of law.