The Documentary 'Survivors of the Death Corridor' Wins Best Documentary of the Year in Sweden

The documentary 'Survivors of the Death Corridor', created by Iranian filmmaker Nima Sarvestani residing in Sweden and co-produced by the Persian section of Voice of America, has won the award for Best Documentary of the Year in Sweden. This documentary narrates the story of Hamid Nouri's journey to Sweden, his arrest, and trial. It premiered at the Tempo festival, which is considered the largest documentary film festival in Sweden, and received widespread acclaim from audiences and judges. According to the creators, 'Survivors of the Death Corridor' is the first serious attempt to document an untold history from a dark era that can serve as material for both documentary and narrative films for many years to come. The documentary depicts the events surrounding Hamid Nouri, a prison prosecutor at Gohardasht during the political prisoner massacre of 1988, his arrival in Sweden in 2019, his arrest at Stockholm's Arlanda Airport, and the lengthy trial that led to his life imprisonment. Nima Sarvestani, the director of this work, who lost his brother Rostam in the executions of the 1980s, emphasizes his commitment to 'seeking justice' by narrating his parents' account of the government-sanctioned murder of their child, as well as documenting the testimonies of witnesses such as 'Mother Esmat', to record the realities of the 1988 prisoner massacre. Hamid Nouri was arrested on November 9, 2019, upon his arrival at Stockholm's Arlanda Airport under the principle of universal jurisdiction and was tried for his involvement in the execution of political prisoners at Gohardasht prison during the summer of 1988. His court proceedings lasted 9 months, consisting of 92 sessions with 34 plaintiffs and 26 witnesses, and ultimately, the appeals court confirmed his life sentence on December 19, 2023. However, Hamid Nouri was released last summer during a prisoner exchange between Iran and Sweden and returned to Iran.