Shahram Amiri's Mother: He Was Likely Forced to Confess to Crimes He Did Not Commit

Shahram Amiri's mother stated in an interview with Reuters that 'hardline security forces' attempted to coerce her son into confessing to espionage, and moments before his execution, he said, 'Do not be sad, for I have done nothing wrong.' Marzieh Amiri, in the interview published on August 10, claimed that her son's trial was conducted behind closed doors and lacked justice, and she did not even know her son's lawyer's full name. The Iranian judiciary confirmed on Sunday, August 8, that Mr. Amiri, referred to as a 'nuclear scientist,' 'nuclear expert,' or 'researcher,' was executed for 'connections to the U.S. and transferring vital information to the enemy.' Various reports have been published about Shahram Amiri, who spent some time in the U.S.; some media outlets reported that he had sought asylum in the United States. He himself stated in two separate videos that he was 'abducted' and at another time claimed he went to the U.S. for education. When he returned to Iran in 2010, the then-Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially welcomed him. After a while, he was arrested and ultimately executed. Ms. Amiri stated that he maintained his innocence until his execution: 'I am not upset with the government. I am not upset with the leader. I am upset with the hardline security forces who were involved in his case and tried to prove he was a spy and likely forced him to confess to things he did not do.' (Note: Radio Farda did not translate Ms. Marzieh Amiri's statements from the English text of Reuters into Persian.) Shahram Amiri's mother said he wanted everyone to know he was 'innocent.' Marzieh Amiri emphasized that her son went to his execution with a 'clear conscience.' In another part of her interview regarding the detention of this Iranian citizen, she said he was free after his return and even took leave to spend time with family: 'But one day, suddenly, he was arrested.' When they inquired about the arrest, they were told it was 'for his own protection; he is our guest.' According to Marzieh Amiri, her son was kept in solitary confinement, his wife was seeking a divorce, and he was nervous and had high blood pressure. He visited his child once or twice a month: 'He told me he preferred to die because he could no longer endure solitary confinement.' Mr. Amiri's body was transferred to Kermanshah last week, and according to his mother, bruising around his neck indicates he was hanged. Iranian officials have not yet responded to the interview with Shahram Amiri's mother. The judiciary spokesperson previously stated that Amiri did not utilize 'the opportunity given to him after his crime was confirmed... and tried to incorrectly leak information from within the prison.' He did not provide details about this 'information.' In this context, the Iranian judiciary confirmed Shahram Amiri's execution, the U.S. State Department spokesperson's statements following Shahram Amiri's execution, and the Clinton campaign's reaction to Republican accusations regarding Shahram Amiri's execution.