Reactions to the Exchange of Hamid Nouri: The Release of a 'War Criminal' is an Insult to the Rule of Law, Human Rights, and Dignity

The release and return of Hamid Nouri, a former deputy warden of Gohardasht Prison and involved in the mass execution of political prisoners in the 1980s, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court of Stockholm, has sparked widespread reactions among Iranian social media users. Shirin Ebadi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, described Nouri's release as 'handing over a criminal to the Islamic Republic,' which 'threw dust on the half-hearted face of justice that exists in the world.' She wrote on her Telegram channel: 'This great shame and scandal will never be forgotten. If Europe knows that there is no way to free its citizens other than handing over criminals, it must clearly tell its citizens that Iran is a dangerous destination and that every European citizen on Iranian soil is a potential hostage for the Islamic Republic.' Ghazaleh Sharmeh, daughter of Jamshid Sharmeh, a dual-national prisoner sentenced to Iran, sarcastically congratulated the Swedish Foreign Minister and EU officials who 'worked tirelessly for the release of the mass murderer of the Islamic regime, Hamid Nouri.' She criticized that 'criminals from other countries can be pursued on European soil, sentenced to life imprisonment in a fair trial, and today walk freely,' while jihadist regimes can 'kidnap, take hostages, and execute our citizens' but receive 'rewards' from Western countries. She viewed Nouri's release as 'the abduction of justice' from the families of the '30,000 executed' in the 1980s who 'were forced to travel to over 90 court sessions in Sweden, repeatedly facing their torturer, Hamid Nouri.' Prince Reza Pahlavi referred to Hamid Nouri as 'a war criminal' whose release 'by the Swedish government is an insult to the rule of law, human rights, and minimal dignity.' He emphasized that 'this irresponsible appeasement of the criminal regime ruling Iran did not even manage to save all hostages and will lead to more hostage-taking and extortion.' Erfan Najafabadi, a civil activist in Iran, criticized the Swedish government's action, sarcastically suggesting that if 'you pay them a hundred tomans more, it is likely that a Nobel Peace Prize will also accompany Hamid Nouri so he does not return to Iran empty-handed.' Shahryar Shams, another civil activist in Iran, noted that Nouri's release came after the deaths of Ebrahim Raisi and Hossein Amirabdollahian, writing on social media that 'this indicates that the Islamic Republic's negotiations with foreign governments are not conducted by the presidency and his team; therefore, do not vote with the promise and pretext of 'opening and interacting with the world.' Among the families seeking justice from the 1980s, Ladan Bazargan told Voice of America that she does not blame the Swedish government because they are pursuing their own interests and doing everything for the freedom of their own people. She stated that Nouri's ability to give interviews upon his return, despite being supposed to continue his punishment in Iran, shows how wild and undemocratic the Islamic Republic is. Ladan Bazargan also emphasized that the court process and the issued verdict 'dealt the biggest blow to the Islamic Republic, and its officials will forever refrain from dreaming of traveling to Europe.' Alireza Kiani, a political activist, also noted that 'in the long term, Nouri's return to occupied Iran is beneficial for the Iranian people. Naturally, in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Islamic Republic, Swedish prisons would have been a safer place for Nouri than the streets of Tehran. If you do not want security and peace for Hamid Nouri, do not be unhappy about his return to Iran.' Nima Ghasemi, a philosophy researcher, expressed that 'the bitterness of political bargaining to trample on truth and justice is felt by all in Nouri's release,' stating that 'Nouri's release, known as Abbasi, is conditional on the continuation of this criminal foundation's existence. If your will and mine are strong in overthrowing this criminal foundation, his detention in Sweden is temporary, and his current release is a provisional government. Such individuals must be tried in an Iranian court, with Iranian judges.' Shahin Najafi, an artist opposed to the Islamic Republic, remarked that although 'the Swedes released the criminal Hamid Nouri,' 'his fate will end like Eichmann's.' His reference is to Adolf Eichmann, responsible for Jewish affairs in Germany during World War II, who ordered the transfer of many Jews to extermination camps and, after the defeat of Nazi Germany, managed to escape to Argentina but was identified and captured by Mossad and subsequently executed. He stated that 'the world's governments adjust their policies according to their own interests' and that 'the liberation of Iran will only be achieved by the people of Iran.' Iraj Mesdaghi, a writer and political activist who played a significant role in the detention and trial of the former deputy warden of Gohardasht Prison, told Voice of America, 'We do not know what happened that the Swedish government hastily made this deal and exchanged Hamid Nouri for two Swedish prisoners or hostages in Iran.' Hamed Ismailian, a claimant for the passengers killed in the Ukrainian plane shot down by the Revolutionary Guards, stated that this exchange was not unexpected, asserting that the Islamic Republic 'will continue to kidnap and bargain for the release of its terrorists in the future.' He described Nouri's trial as 'a successful example of transitional justice' that 'can be held after the overthrow of the Islamic Republic in the country' and 'an opportunity for victims and surviving families' to speak of their suffering and the details of the crime. Sooran Mansournia, a claimant from the November 2019 protests, also stated that although Nouri's release is 'very bitter,' it does not diminish 'the greatness of the Stockholm court's achievement,' and the evidence presented in court showed that 'he is a criminal against humanity' and 'this shame will not be erased from his forehead, his family, and the Islamic Republic.' Masih Alinejad, a political and human rights activist, also viewed Nouri's extradition from Sweden to Iran as 'the complicity of the Swedish government with the Islamic Republic in freeing a criminal' who 'committed crimes against humanity.' She called this action 'a betrayal of human rights and a betrayal of the efforts of the families seeking justice from the 1980s' and considered Nouri's extradition to the Islamic Republic as 'strengthening the bloodthirsty regime of the Islamic Republic.' Shima Babaei, a human rights activist, also pointed out the red carpet spread under Hamid Nouri's feet upon his arrival in Iran, stating, 'The redness of this carpet is from blood. Blood that boils and boils and will not sink into the ground until the day of justice arrives.' The exchange of Hamid Nouri, also known as Hamid Abbasi, a former deputy of the judiciary of the Islamic Republic, with two Swedish prisoners in Iran occurred while the Supreme Court of Sweden had confirmed his life sentence. Life imprisonment is the highest punishment under Swedish law and was issued for his involvement in the mass executions of political prisoners in the 1980s.