Sweden Summons Iranian Ambassador Due to 'Unfavorable' Health Condition of Ahmadreza Jalali

The Iranian ambassador to Sweden was summoned to the Swedish Foreign Ministry after receiving information about the 'deteriorating health condition' of Ahmadreza Jalali, an Iranian-Swedish researcher imprisoned and sentenced to death in Iran. During this summons, the ambassador was asked to ensure that the Islamic Republic immediately releases Mr. Jalali for humanitarian reasons and facilitates his reunion with his family. The Swedish Foreign Ministry also demanded medical care and facilities for this dual-national researcher and once again protested against the death penalty issued for him. Mr. Jalali, a physician and Iranian-Swedish researcher who has been imprisoned in Iran for nearly nine years and faces the risk of execution, accused the Swedish government in a voice message sent from prison on January 15 of not making any efforts for his release. His message was released shortly after the freedom of Nahid Taghavi, a dual-national Iranian-German citizen, and Cecilia Sala, an Italian journalist, and their exit from Iran. The Human Rights Campaign stated that all countries must pressure Iran for the release of Ahmadreza Jalali. The Iranian government released two Swedish citizens imprisoned in Iran in exchange for the freedom of Hamid Nouri, alias 'Hamid Abasi', a deputy prosecutor during the mass executions of political prisoners in the summer of 1988. Johan Flodros, a European Union diplomatic staff member, was freed on April 17, 2022, at the end of a 'tourist trip' and while exiting Iran, and Saeed Azizi, who was arrested in the fall of 2023. In part of this voice message, which his wife Vida Mehran-Nia provided to Agence France-Presse on January 15, Mr. Jalali stated: 'Swedish government officials are aware of my situation, but nothing has been done to improve my conditions. It seems that what may happen to me as a Swedish citizen, the risk of death due to execution or the deterioration of my health, is of no concern to Swedish officials.' In another part of this message, released on the occasion of his fifty-third birthday, he added: 'It seems that because of my dual nationality, I am considered a second-class citizen.' However, the Swedish government has emphasized in recent months that, alongside diplomatic negotiations and actions that led to the release of Johan Flodros and Saeed Azizi, it also sought to guarantee Ahmadreza Jalali's freedom. However, according to Maria Malmer Stenergard, Sweden's Foreign Minister, 'Unfortunately, the Iranian government did not want to negotiate at all regarding Mr. Jalali. They do not recognize his Swedish citizenship because at the time of his arrest, he only had Iranian citizenship.' The Islamic Republic typically arrests dual-national Iranian citizens and foreign nationals on charges such as 'acting against national security' and 'espionage' and sentences them to heavy penalties, but does not provide clear evidence to substantiate these allegations. Human rights activists and European governments believe that the Islamic Republic uses these prisoners as hostages for bargaining and gaining concessions.